Pablo López struck out 8 in 6 innings as the Twins beat the Red Sox 3-1 for their 12th consecutive victory

MINNEAPOLIS – Pablo López struck out eight in six strong innings, Max Kepler homered and the Minnesota Twins extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

The Twins have the longest winning streak in the majors this season. Minnesota’s streak matches the team’s winning streak from the late 1980s, which is the second longest in Twins history. The club record 15 consecutive wins, dating back to June 1991, the last season Minnesota won the World Series.

Kepler and Willi Castro each had two hits, Carlos Correa had two RBIs and Cole Sands pitched a scoreless final inning for his second save.

Wilyer Abreu and Dominic Smith each had two hits for Boston, which has lost three straight games.

Kepler struck out Cam Booser (0-1) in the fourth inning. Booser was the third of five pitchers used in a bullpen game.

Castro singled in the top of the sixth, advanced to third on two wild pitches by Justin Slaten and scored on a sacrifice fly by Correa for a 3-1 lead.

Careened briefly by coaches after covering first base in the second inning, López allowed five hits and struck out seven of the last 12 batters he faced.

López struck out Rafael Devers on a high, fast ball, tying the run at third to end the fifth. Devers, who looked at home plate umpire Lance Barksdale for several seconds after a second strike called two pitches earlier, banged his helmet in disgust.

Devers struck out with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh. This time the bat was hit.

Boston has gone six straight games without a home run, the longest streak since six straight games from April 23-28, 2022.

Smith nearly ended that streak in the seventh, but his line drive hit high off the wall in right field. The carambola was played perfectly by Kepler, who hit Correa in second position. Seeing that he came out easily, Smith didn’t bother sliding.

Abreu recovered from an 0 and 2 count and capped a 10-pitch drive for an early 1-0 Red Sox lead. An RBI groundout by Correa tied the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: 2B Vaughn Grissom did not play Saturday, one day after returning from the 10-day injured list (hamstring). The plan is for him to start on Sunday and the next few games in Atlanta. … Nick Pivetta, on the 15-day disabled list since April 6 with a right elbow flexor strain, is expected to be activated to start Wednesday at Atlanta. He began a Triple-A rehab on Thursday.

NEXT

The teams wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, with Boston RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 1.65) and Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (1-1, 3.38) the scheduled starters.

___

APMLB: