MINNEAPOLIS – After dropping the first two games of the series 5-2 on Friday night and 3-1 on Saturday, the Red Sox will try to salvage the weekend and avoid getting swept by the Twins on Saturday afternoon in Minnesota.
The Twins come into the series finale on a 12-game winning streak, the club’s longest since 1980, and are starting Joe Ryan, who threw a complete-game shutout against the Red Sox at Target Field last June 22.
Cooper Criswell (1.29 ERA, three starts) will start for Boston. He’s thrown five scoreless innings in each of his last two starts. The Red Sox rotation continues to lead the Majors with a 2.12 ERA, and rank third in WHIP (1.02) and opponent average (.209).
It’s a scheduled day off for Tyler O’Neill. Vaughn Grissom, who had Saturday off, is back in the lineup and playing second base. Zack Short will cover third while Rafael Devers spends the afternoon as the designated hitter.
The Red Sox entered Sunday with MLB’s eighth-best run differential (+34), but have been out-scored 11-4 over their last three games. They’re also on a six-game homer-less streak, their longest since April 2022.
Red Sox lineup (May 5)
Jarren Duran CF
Rafael Devers DH
Rob Refsnyder LF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Vaughn Grissom 2B
Dom Smith 1B
Reese McGuire C
Ceddanne Rafaela SS
Zack Short 3B
Twins lineup (May 5)
Alex Kirilloff LF
Edouard Julien 2B
Ryan Jeffers C
Max Kepler RF
Carlos Correa SS
Trevor Larnach DH
Willi Castro CF
Carlos Santana 1B
Jose Miranda 3B
Red Sox vs. Twins probable starting pitchers
RHP Cooper Criswell vs. RHP Joe Ryan
How to watch Red Sox vs. Twins (May 5)
When: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where: Target Field, Minneapolis MN
TV: NESN, Bally Sports North, MLB Network (Blackout restrictions may apply)
Red Sox radio: WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish)
Twins radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy
May 5 in baseball history
1904: Boston Americans (now Red Sox) pitcher Cy Young throws the first perfect game in American League history and the first in a Major League game since 1893. He’d extend his hitless innings streak to 24, a record that still stands. Altogether, the perfect game was the beginning of a then-record 45 consecutive scoreless inning.
1929: The Boston Braves play their first Sunday home game in franchise history.
1938: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Hal Kelleher sets a pair of unfortunate National League records when he faces 16 Chicago Cubs batters and gives up 12 runs in the sixth inning.
1946: On Opening Day, Newark Eagles pitcher Leon Day throws what will ultimately be the last nine-inning no-hitter in the Negro Leagues.
1955: In his first career start, Brooklyn Dodgers rookie (and future manager) Tommy Lasorda ties the MLB record with three wild pitches in a single inning. 45 years later to the day, he’ll be named manager of the U.S. Olympic baseball team.
2004: Mike Piazza’s 352nd home run breaks Johnny Bench’s record for home runs by a catcher, and Roger Clemens passes Steve Carlton to take second on the all-time strikeout list.
2010: Nomar Garciaparra is honored at Fenway Park after signing a one-day contract to retire as a Red Sock.
2018: Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel becomes the youngest pitcher to join the 300 Saves Club, and does so in fewer games than any of the other 28 members.
(Sources: Baseball-Reference, Nationalpastime.com)
