The Twins took three out of four at the Metrodome by virtue of a 7-3 win over the Red Sox last night. The Sox scored three in the first inning against Livan Hernandez and never scored again against Hernandez, who went the first six innings to improve to 6-1, and the Twins’ bullpen. The Red Sox now have lost four out of their last six games and head to Baltimore, where Josh Beckett will oppose Jeremy Guthrie tonight.
Clay Buchholz was gone after 4 1/3 innings. The young righty didn’t have great command and allowed five walks and seven runs on eight hits. He threw 90 pitches and left the game trailing, 7-3. The Twins scored three in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double by Craig Monroe and an RBI single by Delmon Young. Buchholz didn’t help himself with a leadoff walk to Joe Mauer. The Sox actually turned a couple of double plays behind him that prevented further damage. It was Buchholz’s second straight poor start. Last Wednesday, he allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in four innings at Detroit.
Sox Notes: Craig Hansen appears to be the major benefactor, at least so far, of Julian Tavarez being designated for assignment yesterday. Hansen was supposed to go back to Triple A but was given a chance to work into a role in the Sox bullpen. With the Sox trailing, 7-3, Hansen entered the game in the seventh and threw a dominating inning of two ground balls and a strikeout. The Red Sox usually just don’t throw a young pitcher into the fire but rather build him up for more important assignments. That seems to be the plan for Hansen.
