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Home | Sports | Twins

Bullpen falters in tough loss

Winslow Townson, Associated Press

Manny Ramirez (right) and Dustin Pedroia could feel a giant momentum shift after Ramirez’s tying two-run homer in Boston’s four-run eighth.

Manny Ramirez hit an eighth-inning homer off Matt Guerrier that deflated the Twins, who blew a three-run lead.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: July 9, 2008 - 8:03 AM

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BOSTON 6, TWINS 5

Up next: 12:05 p.m. today at Boston • TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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BOSTON - The starting pitching has been brilliant, and Denard Span looks like the best right fielder to patrol Fenway Park since Dwight Evans.

The past two games against Boston have featured playoff-like intensity, with the Twins looking up to every challenge. But nobody plays Fenway quite like the Red Sox, and the result has been two gut-wrenching losses for the Twins.

On Tuesday night, the Twins took a three-run lead into the eighth inning, and Boston stormed back with another huge hit from Manny Ramirez in pulling out a 6-5 victory.

An announced crowd of 37,925 roared its approval as the Red Sox improved to 33-10 at home.

Just like Monday, this came down to a decision whether to pitch to Ramirez with an open base in the eighth inning. In Monday's 1-0 loss, he made the Twins pay with an RBI single off Brian Bass.

This time, Ramirez came up with the Red Sox trailing 5-3 and Dustin Pedroia on second base.

Matt Guerrier threw a first-pitch fastball letter-high, and Ramirez launched his 17th home run into the seats above the Green Monster.

Tie game.

"You've got to make him hit it out the other way if he's going to hit it out," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. " And [Guerrier] just missed. He threw a terrible pitch."

Guerrier (4-4) said he was trying to throw the pitch on the outside corner, but the ball ran up and over the plate.

"With a base open, you've gotta make better pitches," he said. "I wanted to go at him in a two-run game ... I think sometimes when you get in big situations, you overthrow a little bit."

The Twins are 40-4 when leading after seven innings, but Guerrier couldn't stop the onrushing train.

With two outs, Kevin Youkilis doubled. He reached third on a wild pitch, and then Brandon Moss hit an RBI single to center field.

Guerrier said these losses are always disappointing, "especially coming close to the All-Star break, especially the way Nick [Blackburn] pitched against a good team."

Blackburn held the Red Sox to two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He was at 85 pitches when Boston sent Sean Casey in to pinch hit with two outs in the seventh.

"We wanted to kind of force the issue," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "We were kind of hoping to get [Blackburn] out of the game."

Gardenhire pulled Blackburn for lefthander Dennys Reyes. Francona countered with righthanded hitting Jeff Bailey. Reyes struck him out to end the inning, and the Twins added an insurance run in the eighth that made it 5-2.

It was up to the bullpen to protect the lead.

"Blackburn was very good," Gardenhire said. "He got a little tired late."

Jacoby Ellsbury led off the eighth with a double off Reyes before Gardenhire turned to Guerrier.

"We had the ballgame," Gardenhire said. "Our bullpen doesn't lose one very often."

The Twins threatened in the ninth. Nick Punto capped a 12-pitch at-bat with a double off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. Span moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt.

Gardenhire sent Jason Kubel to pinch hit for Carlos Gomez, and with a 3-2 count, Papelbon fanned Kubel with a 97-miles-per-hour fastball.

Alexi Casilla then grounded to second, and Papelbon pumped his fist after his 27th save.

"Tough loss," Gardenhire said. "One we thought we had."

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