< Alex Verdugo has five hits, includuing a home run in the second game, as the Red Sox sweep the Twins to run their win streak to nine games.

Red Sox 3-7 Twins 2-1

Minneapolis — Alex Verdugo had three hits, including a tworun single in a six-run fifth inning, and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to nine games, beating the Minnesota Twins 7-1 to sweep Wednesday's doubleheader.

Eduardo Rodríguez (2-0) pitched five innings and gave up one run on five hits for Boston, which has come from behind in six of its nine wins this season. The Red Sox have their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2018, a season that ended with a World Series title.

Boston is also the first team in major league history to open the season with at least three straight losses and immediately follow that by winning at least nine straight, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Verdugo had five hits in the doubleheader and capped the day with his second homer of the season in the seventh inning. The Red Sox won the first game 3-2.

“To win some ballgames, and to actually be at the top of the standings and kind of like overlooked a little bit, I love it,” Verdugo said. “I love this group of guys. I love this team, the chemistry, everything. It's something special on this team.”

José Berríos (2-1) surrendered four runs in 4 1/3 innings for Minnesota, giving up four hits and three walks. Berríos, who retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, walked Franchy Cordero with the bases loaded for the first run of the fifth before departing.

The Twins have lost five straight.

The fifth unraveled quickly for Berríos when Rafael Devers' drive to center caromed off the glove of a diving Jake Cave for a double. Christian Vázquez walked and Bobby Dalbec singled before the walk to Cordero.

Tyler Duffey relieved Berríos and struck out Kiké Hernández. But Verdugo plated Vázquez, J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts walked, and Devers hit a two-run single off left-hander Caleb Thielbar.

Rodríguez settled in after allowing a run on three hits in the first. He permitted just three baserunners through his final four innings.

“To win both games, win the series, it makes it special,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We have a good baseball team, and we have to keep working on it. We have to keep getting better. But days like today, they're very gratifying.”

First game

Nathan Eovaldi (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits in five innings for the Red Sox. Matt Barnes earned his second save.

The Red Sox finished last in the AL East in 2020, and Eovaldi has little doubt about what's different this year.

Kenta Maeda (1-1) was undone by Minnesota's defense in the second inning, including his own throwing error that allowed a run to score. He pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs — two earned — on seven hits and two walks.

Up next

Michael Pineda (1-0, 1.64 ERA) will start the final game of the series for Minnesota today. Boston counters with Garrett Richards (0-1, 10.29). Richards bounced back from a tough 2021 debut to give up two runs in five innings against Baltimore in his last start.