Two-run homers by Buxton and Martin help Twins rally to beat Red Sox 8-6

By: Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press Posted: 9:20 PM CDT Friday, May. 22, 2026

BOSTON (AP) — Byron Buxton and Austin Martin both hit two-run homers off reliever Justin Slaten in the seventh inning to help the Minnesota Twins rally from four runs down to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Friday night.

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Ryan Kreidler added an RBI double for the Twins. Luke Keaschall and Buxton both had RBI singles.

Travis Adams (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Anthony Banda got four outs for his first save.

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) is congratulated by Luke Keaschall (15) after his two-run home run, as Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez waits for play to continue, during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Minnesota’s four-run seventh ended a streak for Slaten (1-1) of 15 consecutive appearances dating to Sept. 16, 2025, without allowing a run. It was the third-longest active streak in the majors.

Wilyer Abreu had an RBI double. Willson Contreras, Andruw Monasterio, Marcelo Mayer and Jarren Duran all added RBIs for the Red Sox.

With Boston trailing 7-6 in the eighth with two outs, Mayer reached on an error by Minnesota second baseman Keaschall. Carlos Narváez followed by drawing a walk off Eric Orze, who was replaced by Banda — who got Mickey Gasper to fly out to end the threat.

Boston took a 4-0 lead in the first, teeing off on Twins starter Connor Prielipp, who was pulled after four innings, allowing six runs and seven hits.

Minnesota’s comeback came after Boston starter Payton Tolle, who went six innings, allowed three runs and four hits while striking out nine.

Abreu started the Red Sox off in the first with an RBI double. Contreras then got his 1,000th career hit with the 13th career triple of his career with a hard liner off the Green Monster that scored Abreu.

Monasterio made 3-0 with an RBI single. He advanced to third on Nick Sogard’s single, then scored on Mayer’s sacrifice fly to center.

But the Twins had four hits and took advantage of a fielding error by Tolle to get back three runs in the next inning.

Boston added two more in the fourth when Sogard scored off a throwing error by Prielipp, and Narváez crossed the plate on Duran’s RBI groundout to make it 6-3.

Up next

The Twins hadn’t yet announced a starting pitcher for the second game of the series Saturday. Boston hadn’t, either, though manager Chad Tracy said Brayan Bello (2-5, 7.16 ERA) is expected to throw bulk innings as possibly the starter or following an opener.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb