Twins bats come alive in 8-4 victory, spoiling Boston's home opener

BOSTON – Miguel Sano homered, stole a base and made a tackle on Friday. He would like to do more of … well, all three, if the Vikings are interested.

"Yeah, if they want to give me a lot of money," he clarified.

In a game far more notable for Byron Buxton's injury, Sano broke out of his 0-for-19 season-opening slump with a two-run blast onto the Green Monster, helping to power the Twins to an 8-4 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Joe Ryan pitched six solid innings, mixing in as many sliders as fastballs to keep the Red Sox off-balance. Ryan gave up only five hits and no walks while striking out seven, with Alex Verdugo's solo home run the only hiccup en route to his third career victory.

"He pitched himself out of a little something when he needed to. He looked excellent," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "For him to go out and give us six good innings, it jump-starts you."

Apparently so. The Twins offense reappeared after a subdued six-game homestand in which the team collectively batted .181 and was held without a baserunner for seven innings by Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday. Luis Arraez singled and doubled, driving home a run each time; Gary Sanchez batted in two runs with a fifth-inning single, and Sano, who on Wednesday broke his bat out of frustration over his slump, found relief by driving a Nick Pivetta curveball over the wall.

Sano also walked in the fourth inning and stole the fifth base of his eight-year career, beating Christian Vazquez's throw to second base.

BOXSCORE: Twins 8, Boston 4

"That's the sign they gave me. [Red Sox reliever Phillips Valdez] is slow to the plate, so that's a chance we can steal," Sano said. "I want to steal 10. That's one."

In a less-effective moment, Sano also rushed over and accidentally knocked Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to the ground near second base in an effort to double him off the base — a play that umpire Chad Whitson ruled obstruction, awarding Bradley the base.

"I told him 'Sorry,' " Sano said. "I tried to catch [him] so he didn't get the extra base. My fault, getting in the middle."

Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless seventh for the Twins but was touched for three runs in the eighth, surrendering two doubles and a home run by Rafael Devers that dropped into the first row of seats near Fenway Park's shallow right-field pole. But the Twins added two runs in the ninth to make it a four-run lead, and Emilio Pagan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.

Kirilloff update

An examination of Alex Kirilloff's sore right wrist revealed no structural damage, President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey said, giving the Twins hope that nothing more than the cortisone shot that was administered Thursday will be necessary to relieve him of the soreness that has lingered for several months.

"He really felt good coming out of it," Falvey said. "Now we just need to manage and deal with what he's dealing with now. Based on what the doctor told us yesterday, we should be feeling optimistic."

Kirilloff went on the injured list Wednesday, complaining that he can't swing the bat without soreness in his wrist, which was surgically repaired last July.

Garlick returns

It took Dereck Rodriguez 11 years to finally play for the team that drafted him in 2011. And his Twins career only lasted one game.

Rodriguez was designated for assignment on Friday, two days after allowing three solo home runs to the Dodgers in a four-inning debut at Target Field.

Outfielder Kyle Garlick took Rodriguez's spot on the roster, building on a strong spring training to earn a spot as a backup outfielder. The promotion was likely a tacit acknowledgement that the Twins' low-key pursuit of veteran Justin Upton, a free agent after being released by the Angels last week, was fruitless.

"Kyle's done a good job for us. He can do different things," Baldelli said. "He complements our roster very well."

Etc.