Trevor Larnach matched a career-high with four hits as the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Saturday, while a fourth-inning collision between Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini briefly cleared the benches and bullpens.
For one brief stretch in the fourth inning, the game stopped being about baseball—Benches and bullpens cleared after Willson Contreras and catcher Victor Caratini collided when Contreras was tagged out trying to score after running through a late stop sign from third base coach Chad Epperson.
No punches were thrown. But the moment carried enough weight that it briefly emptied the area before play resumed.
The Twins didn’t let the disruption tilt the outcome. Trevor Larnach matched his career-high with four hits, going 3-for-3 on singles and adding a double. Taj Bradley. returning from a chest muscle injury. allowed one run over five innings and Minnesota pulled away for a 4-2 win—its ninth win in 13 games.
Boston struggled to find consistent scoring. The Red Sox had five hits and fell to 2-20 when scoring two runs or fewer.
On the mound, Bradley made his first start since going on the IL on May 9 with right pectoralis muscle inflammation. He finished with seven strikeouts and two walks. giving up three hits. and reached 100 mph with a pitch for the first time in his career. In the fourth inning, he threw a 100.3 mph offering to Contreras.
Later, Taylor Rogers closed things out. With the bases loaded and Jarren Duran at the plate, Rogers got Duran to strike out looking for the final out—his second save.
Minnesota’s offense started early. The Twins took a 2-0 lead in the first against opener Jovani Morán (0-2) on Austin Martin’s RBI single and Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly.
Boston narrowed the gap in the fourth. Ceddanne Rafaela delivered a RBI double that cut the deficit in half, scoring on the play when plate umpire called the runner safe after Contreras was thrown out on the earlier attempt to score.
The Red Sox tied things closer in the fifth, but the Twins answered. Caratini’s sacrifice fly and Orlando Arcia’s run-scoring single off the glove of pitcher Brayan Bello—who tried to backhand a grounder—boosted Minnesota’s lead to 4-1.
Boston’s final margin was reached but not enough. Caratini was also credited with that sacrifice fly as the Twins maintained control through the late innings.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s series finale, Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (5-2, 3.63 ERA) is scheduled to face Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray (5-1, 2.93). The forecast calls for steady rain.
Minnesota Twins Boston Red Sox Trevor Larnach Taj Bradley Willson Contreras Victor Caratini MLB Bailey Ober Sonny Gray