Make it five straight wins for the red-hot Twins (28-18) as they completed a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 6-4 win this afternoon at Target Field.
The win, coupled with the Royals losing to the Yankees, puts the Twins in a tie with Kansas City for first place in the American League Central.
After Boston took the early lead on a two-run homer by Dustin Pedroia in the top of the third, the Twins answered back in the bottom of the inning on a two-run infield single from Torii Hunter. Joe Mauer singled to drive in another run and the Twins had claimed a 3-2 lead.
Minnesota added to their lead in the fourth on a two-run homer from Aaron Hicks – his first RBIs since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester.
Pedroia went deep again for the Red Sox cutting the Twins lead to one at 5-4, but Eddie Rosario gave the Twins some insurance with his solo homer in the sixth.
Phil Hughes (4-4) picked up the win. He gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings, while striking out three. Four different Twins relievers combined to get four outs and keep the Red Sox off the scoreboard so Glen Perkins could pick up his 18th save.
Mauer was the only Twins player with more than one hit. He was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Hicks and Rosario had the only extra-base hits – each were home runs.
The Twins have now rattled off 18 wins this month, the most in the big leagues.
The Twins are off Thursday, and send Trevor May to the mound when they open a weekend series with the Blue Jays on Friday.
