* Sam Deduno (six innings), Casey Fien (one inning) and Glen Perkins (two innings) combined to give the Twins their first shutout at Fenway Park since Aug. 3, 1996.
Always fun going back to look at a box score like this. Sixteen years ago, it was Scott Aldred (seven innings), Eddie Guardado (2/3 inning), and Mike Trombley (1 1/3 innings) combining for the 6-0 victory.
The last time the Twins held Boston to two hits or fewer in a shutout at Fenway? That would be July 24, 1992, when Scott Erickson tossed a one-hit shutout.
This time, Deduno got his third win, and Glen Perkins got his sixth save after entering with a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning.
* On July 19, Justin Morneau was batting .133 (13-for-98) against lefthanded pitchers. But he's batting .450 (9-for-20) against lefties since that date after getting a single and a double against Jon Lester. Added up, and Morneau's now batting .186 against lefties.
"He's staying on the ball a lot better and using the field a little bit more actually catching breaking balls out in front of the plate," Manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He went from a flat-footed stance to now getting back, and the big thing with him is not jumping at the ball, seeing it and getting a good pitch to hit, and he's doing a lot better."
* Brian Dozier's parents made the trip from Mississippi to watch this series, and he put on a good show, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer. He also made all the plays defensively, including two good ones that I circled on my scorecard.
"That's the biggest thing," Dozier said of his defense. "I know the hitting is going to turn around and all that stuff; I'm starting to feel more comfortable. I had a bad showing in the first half with defense, so I'm not trying to make excuses. That's all me. But at the same time I'm starting to feel more comfortable out there. I know what I can do, and the balls I can get to and make throws and what not. So it's starting to feel a little bit better."
