BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Interstat) — Mick Abel pitched seven scoreless innings and Byron Buxton homered twice as the Minnesota Twins blanked the Boston Red Sox 6-0 on Tuesday night at Target Field. Abel struck out 10 and allowed four hits to earn the win. Buxton went 4 for 5 with two solo homers, driving in two runs. The Twins scored single runs in the first, third and sixth innings, and broke it open with a three-run fourth. Sonny Gray took the loss for Boston, which managed just six hits. The Red Sox fell to 6-11, while the Twins improved to 11-7. Attendance was 16,220. The game took 2 hours, 35 minutes.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Interstat) — Mick Abel authored a masterpiece on the mound and Byron Buxton launched two home runs as the Minnesota Twins shut out the Boston Red Sox 6-0 on Tuesday night at Target Field. The dominant performance by Abel, who struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings, stifled a Boston offense that had shown signs of life in recent days and handed the Red Sox their seventh loss in eight games. A crowd of 16,220 watched the Twins win their third straight and improve to 11-7, while Boston fell to 6-11. The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the fourth inning, turning a manageable deficit into a commanding lead for Minnesota. Already trailing 2-0, Boston starter Sonny Gray, who took the loss to fall to 2-1, surrendered a solo home run to Brooks Lee to lead off the inning. Tristan Gray followed with a single, and Buxton added another single to set the stage for Trevor Larnach. Larnach delivered the decisive blow, lining a sharp single to right field that scored both runners. Although Larnach was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double, the damage was done, pushing the Twins’ lead to 5-0 and effectively putting the game out of reach given Abel’s form. Abel was in complete control from the outset. The right-hander allowed just four hits, did not walk a batter, and consistently overpowered Red Sox hitters. He struck out the side in order in the second inning and worked around a pair of singles, never allowing a Boston runner to reach third base during his outing. His 10-strikeout performance lowered his ERA to 1.80 over his last two starts, following a six-inning, scoreless outing against Detroit on April 9. Buxton provided the offensive fireworks for Minnesota, finishing the night 4 for 5. He led off the bottom of the first with a single and later scored the game’s first run on a single by Luke Keaschall, a play that survived multiple replay challenges by the Twins. Buxton then crushed a solo homer to left field in the third inning and added his second of the game, a solo shot to left-center, in the sixth inning. Keaschall also had two hits and an RBI, while Lee’s homer and Larnach’s two-run single rounded out the Twins’ 10-hit attack. Boston’s offense, which produced six hits, was listless against Abel and the Minnesota bullpen. The Red Sox put only two runners in scoring position all night. Roman Anthony had two of Boston’s hits, including a double in the eighth inning, and Masataka Yoshida also added two singles. Following Caleb Durbin’s walk after Anthony’s double, reliever Taylor Rogers entered and retired Yoshida and pinch-hitter Andruw Monasterio to end the threat. Sonny Gray lasted just four innings for Boston, surrendering five runs on eight hits. The Red Sox bullpen provided some respite, with Jack Anderson allowing one run on Buxton’s second homer over three innings of work and Aroldis Chapman striking out the side in a perfect eighth. Minnesota’s bullpen closed the door, with Rogers and Cole Sands each pitching a scoreless inning to complete the shutout. The victory continued Minnesota’s early-season success at Target Field and marked their second straight win over Boston in this series, following a 13-6 triumph on Monday. The Twins’ offensive output and Abel’s pitching starkly contrasted with the pregame projections from National Statistical, which had favored Boston with a 56.6% probability to win and projected a 7-4 Twins victory. The combined six runs fell well under the over/under line of 8. The two teams conclude their three-game series Wednesday afternoon in Bloomington. Boston will look to avoid the series sweep before returning home to open a four-game set with the Detroit Tigers on Friday. Minnesota, after Wednesday’s finale, will enjoy an off-day before beginning a three-game weekend series at home against the Cincinnati Reds.

Red Sox, Twins Set for Wet Rematch at Target Field BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Interstat) — The Boston Red Sox look to even their series with the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night at Target Field after a lopsided loss in the opener. The Twins (9-7) dominated the Red Sox (6-9) 11-3 on Monday, setting the stage for a pitching matchup featuring two arms on opposite trajectories. Minnesota will send right-hander Sonny Gray (2-0) to the mound. The veteran has been a stabilizing force for the Twins’ rotation early this season. He will be opposed by Boston right-hander Mick Abel (0-2), who is still seeking his first win. A player to watch for Boston is catcher Willson Contreras, who is coming off a powerful series in St. Louis. In Sunday’s 9-3 win over the Cardinals, Contreras went 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs. Over his last 10 games, he has three homers and 12 RBIs. For the Twins, all eyes will be on starter Taj Bradley, who has been excellent in his last four outings. In Sunday’s 8-2 win at Toronto, Bradley allowed one earned run over five innings with seven strikeouts. In his four starts this season, he has a 1.06 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. Weather could be a factor, with a game-time forecast of 63 degrees and rain. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Twins 7, Red Sox 4. Despite the simulation and Minnesota’s better record, Boston has been installed as a pregame betting favorite with a spread of -1.5. The over/under is set at 8 runs. Following Tuesday’s contest, the teams will conclude their three-game series Wednesday afternoon before Boston returns home to face Detroit and Minnesota hosts Cincinnati.