Boston Red Sox Defeat Minnesota Twins 4-2

Garrett Crochet's dominant pitching leads Boston to road win over struggling Twins starter Bailey Ober.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:27pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, with overlapping shapes and planes in the teams' colors representing the dynamic action on the field.Crochet's dominant pitching performance and the Red Sox's recent offensive surge propel them to a crucial road victory over the struggling Twins.Boston Today

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday night, thanks to a stellar outing from starting pitcher Garrett Crochet. Crochet struck out 22 batters over 17.1 innings, walking just 4, as he outdueled Twins starter Bailey Ober, who struggled with command and contact issues.

Why it matters

This win continues Boston's recent hot streak, as they've now won 4 of their last 5 games. Meanwhile, the Twins are missing key offensive pieces like Royce Lewis, putting more pressure on Ober to keep the game close, which he was unable to do.

The details

Crochet's dominant performance, featuring a 22-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, kept the Twins lineup in check all night. Boston's offense, led by Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras, was able to capitalize on Ober's elevated ERA and low strikeout rate to score 4 runs and secure the victory.

  • Crochet has been the most important factor in Boston's improved early-season outlook, with a 3.12 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts across 17.1 innings in his first 3 starts.
  • The Red Sox have won 4 of their last 5 games, including back-to-back wins in St. Louis, suggesting their lineup is starting to click at the right time.

The players

Garrett Crochet

The Boston Red Sox starting pitcher, who has been dominant early in the season with a 22-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 17.1 innings.

Bailey Ober

The Minnesota Twins starting pitcher, who has struggled with a 5.27 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through his first 3 starts, failing to provide the Twins with quality innings.

Wilyer Abreu

The Boston Red Sox outfielder, who has been the team's standout offensive performer, hitting .339 with a .381 OBP and .593 slugging percentage.

Willson Contreras

The Boston Red Sox catcher, who has provided early-season power with 3 home runs and 11 RBIs to give the Red Sox a dangerous middle-of-the-order bat.

Josh Bell

The Minnesota Twins first baseman, who has been the engine driving the team's productive offense with a .275 average, .397 OBP, and .529 slugging percentage.

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What they’re saying

“Garrett Crochet has been the most important factor in Boston's improved early-season outlook.”

— Kyle Kargel, Author

“Against a pitcher with Crochet's current command metrics, that is a difficult ask even for Minnesota's best bat.”

— Kyle Kargel, Author

What’s next

The Red Sox will look to continue their strong start to the season as they take on the Twins in the second game of the series on Tuesday night.

The takeaway

This game showcased the value of dominant pitching, as Crochet's command and strikeout ability proved too much for the Twins lineup, even with the absence of key offensive pieces. The Red Sox's recent hot streak and the Twins' struggles with their starting rotation have set the stage for an intriguing series between these two AL contenders.