Twins vs. Red Sox Odds
BOSTON, MA (AP) – A two-game sweep of their biggest rival could give the Minnesota Twins the momentum they need to end their recent struggles at Fenway Park.
View Current Boston Red Sox Odds
The Twins look to match a season high with their third straight victory and avoid an eighth consecutive road loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
Minnesota (11-18) totaled four runs in two games but received some outstanding pitching to end a six-game skid by sweeping the White Sox in Chicago. Francisco Liriano’s no-hitter in Tuesday’s 1-0 victory highlighted the series, then Nick Blackburn threw 6 2-3 solid innings in a 3-2 win Wednesday.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Red Sox -140 money line favorites for Friday’s game against the Twins. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 62% of more than 596 bets for this game have been placed on the Red Sox -140.
“To be able to come (to Chicago) and take two (is important),” closer Matt Capps said. “The way we’re playing, these last few games have been more like the Twins are used to playing.”
The Twins hope to play better in Boston, where they’ve been outscored 51-18 during a seven-game skid since the start of the 2008 season.
The challenge to score at Fenway gets even tougher without injured stars Joe Mauer and Jim Thome in the lineup for Minnesota, which has scored three runs or fewer in eight straight games.
Jason Kubel has been one of the few bright spots, batting .350 this season. He drove in three of the four runs in Chicago.
Minnesota was expecting to face Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka in the opener, but will not after he allowed two runs in the 13th inning in a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.
Instead, 44-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (0-0, 4.08 ERA) will make his second start of the season. In his first one, Wakefield allowed one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings of Boston’s 3-2 win over Seattle on Sunday.
The right-hander is 13-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 24 starts versus Minnesota.
Wakefield, who threw 12 pitches in relief Wednesday, will leave the bullpen without another veteran after Bobby Jenks (arm cramp) and Dan Wheeler (calf) were placed on the disabled list Thursday.
Boston (14-17) looks to bounce back after dropping the final two of a four-game set with the Angels to fall to 3-4 on an 11-game homestand.
The Red Sox seemed to feel the effects of Wednesday’s game, which included a 2 hour, 35 minute rain delay and ended at 2:45 a.m., while losing 11-0 Thursday afternoon.
“We just forget about this one, turn the page and get on to (Friday),” catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said.
David Ortiz had three of Boston’s seven hits Thursday, and is batting .361 his last nine games. The ex-Twin has hit .467 with nine homers and 20 RBIs in 17 games against his former team at Fenway Park.
He’s 2 for 6 with a home run versus scheduled starter Scott Baker (1-2, 3.16).
The right-hander allowed eight runs and four homers over 11 innings to lose his first two starts, but has given up three runs and no homers over 20 1-3 innings to go 1-0 over the last three. Baker allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings Friday and was in line to win before reliever Alex Burnett squandered a lead in the eighth inning of a 4-3 loss at Kansas City.
Baker is 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA in three starts versus Boston – all Twins losses at Fenway.
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