All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Twins, complete with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
Wacha strong in six-inning effort: Almost from the start of the season, Michael Wacha has been the Red Sox' best starting pitcher and now that it's September, that's still true. Wacha improved to 4-0 since coming off the IL in the middle of August and has allowed just six earned runs over those four starts. Wacha didn't allow a base hit until two were out in the third and the only mistake he made all night came at the end of a nine-pitch at-bat with Luis Arraez, who drilled a changeup out to right for a two-run homer in the fifth. Wacha was in a bit of trouble in the sixth, his final inning of work, as the Twins had runners at second and third. But he slipped a called third strike past Gio Urshela, who had been expecting a changeup -- Wacha's best pitch throughout the night -- and instead was surprised with a 95 mph fastball.
Bogaerts supplies the punch: One of the big problems in the month of August was the meager offensive output from the team's Big Three of Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez. Devers is currently mired in one of his worst stretches in recent years, and though Martinez delivered his second homer in the last five games, it was Bogaerts who did most of the damage on this night. After drawing a first-inning walk, he smoked a line drive to left that just cleared the fence for a grand slam in the third, staking the Sox to a quick 4-0 lead. Martinez homered two batters later to push the lead to 5-0, but the Sox didn't score again until the sixth inning. Kevin Plawecki had led off with a double, but was in danger of being stranded there when, with two out, Bogaerts took a pitch the other way, lashing a double down the right field line, scoring the catcher with what turned out to be the game-winning run.
SECOND GUESS
In the ninth inning, the Red Sox were looking to add on to what was a one-run lead. After two were out, J.D. Martinez reached on an infield single to third. It would have made sense for Alex Cora to pinch-run for Martinez, one of the team's slowest baserunners, but for whatever reason, he chose not to. Trevor Story then hit a booming double to right-center that would have scored most baserunners -- Franchy Cordero, Christian Arroyo or Rob Refnsyder all would have been upgrades -- but Martinez had to stop at third. Kike Hernandez then grounded to first, stranding both runners. It could have spelled the difference between a win or a loss, but the Sox were able to hold on in the ninth.
TWO UP
Kevin Plawecki: Improbably, Plawecki remains one of the team's hottest hitters. He had a three-hit game with two singles and a double, giving him 11 hits in his last six starts behind the plate.
Trevor Story: Since his return, Story has helped lengthen the lineup. He delivered his second three-hit game in the series with two singles and a double.
TWO DOWN
Bobby Dalbec: Dalbec got the start over Franchy Cordero and Christian Arroyo at first, but had a rough night at the plate, fanning in each of his four plate appearances.
Garrett Whitlock: Ordinarily, Whitlock is the most dependable of all Red Sox relievers, but when the Sox turned him tonight, he allowed a run in his first inning of work and two more in his second, making the game far closer than it had been.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We needed that one. It's been a grind offensively for a while and to get a big hit like that, with one swing score four, it was huge.'' Alex Cora on the grand slam by Xander Bogaerts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Rafael Devers is now hitless in his last 21 at-bats.
* The grand slam by Xander Bogaerts was the sixth of his career, the most by any shortstop in Red Sox history, surpassing Nomar Garciaparra (five).
* The Red Sox are now 13-4 in games started by Michael Wacha this season.
* Trevor Story (12-for-12) has yet to be thrown out in a stolen base attempt this season.
* Bogaerts extended his hitting streak at Target Field to 19 straight games.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox return home for a four-game homestand, hosting the Texas Rangers Thursday at 7:10 p.m. It will be LHP Rich Hill (6-5, 4.32) vs. RHP Glenn Otto (6-8, 4.79).