Red Sox Defeat Twins 5-3 in Pitchers' Duel

Boston's Sonny Gray outduels Minnesota's Mick Abel in series opener

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:08am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in muted earth tones with flashes of red and blue, conveying the intensity and drama of the pitchers' duel.A cubist interpretation of the pitchers' duel between the Red Sox and Twins, capturing the game's tension and drama through fragmented geometric shapes.Minneapolis Today

In the series opener between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, the Red Sox came away with a 5-3 victory in a tightly contested pitchers' duel at Target Field. Boston's Sonny Gray pitched a strong 6.2 innings, allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 8 Twins batters. Minnesota's Mick Abel also turned in a solid outing, but the Red Sox were able to scratch across 3 runs against the young right-hander.

Why it matters

This win gives the Red Sox a much-needed boost as they look to climb back to .500 and keep pace in the competitive AL East division. For the Twins, the loss at home is a setback as they try to solidify their position atop the AL Central standings.

The details

The Red Sox struck first, plating a run in the top of the 3rd inning on a sacrifice fly by Willson Contreras. The Twins answered back in the bottom half, tying the game on a solo home run by Josh Bell. But Boston regained the lead in the 5th on an RBI single from Trevor Story. The Red Sox then added two insurance runs in the 7th to make it 5-1. Minnesota mounted a late rally, scoring twice in the 9th, but could not complete the comeback.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 7:40 PM EDT.
  • Sonny Gray's strong outing marked his 4th start of the season for the Red Sox.

The players

Sonny Gray

The veteran right-hander for the Boston Red Sox, who improved his record to 3-0 on the season with the win.

Mick Abel

The young Minnesota Twins pitcher, who took the loss despite a solid performance, dropping his record to 0-3 on the year.

Willson Contreras

The Red Sox designated hitter, who drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

Josh Bell

The Twins first baseman, who hit a solo home run to tie the game in the 3rd inning.

Trevor Story

The Red Sox shortstop, who delivered an RBI single to give Boston the lead in the 5th.

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What they’re saying

“Sonny really set the tone for us tonight with his outstanding pitching. When he's on like that, it gives the whole team a boost.”

— Alex Cora, Red Sox Manager

“We had our chances, but just couldn't come up with the big hit when we needed it. Tip your cap to Gray, he was tough tonight.”

— Rocco Baldelli, Twins Manager

What’s next

The two teams will meet again on Wednesday night for the second game of the series. The Twins will look to even things up, while the Red Sox aim for the series win.

The takeaway

This was a well-played, tightly contested game that showcased the pitching talents of both Sonny Gray and Mick Abel. The Red Sox were able to scratch out just enough offense to come away with the victory, keeping them within striking distance in the AL East race.