Matsuzaka Sharp, Jenks Not As Twins Beat Red Sox
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Daisuke Matsuzaka turned in his strongest outing of the spring. Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks had a little more trouble.
Matsuzaka was solid for six innings before Jenks gave up six runs in the ninth, letting the Minnesota Twins rally past Boston 9-8 Saturday night.
Matsuzaka allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one.
"His stuff was sharp. His fastball had some real good finish on it," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He kept making pitches he wanted to."
Adrian Gonzalez hit his first home run of the spring as Boston took an 8-1 lead. Jenks came in for the ninth with an 8-3 edge and Minnesota combined five hits and a walk to score six times, with four of the runs unearned.
The Red Sox committed three errors in the game, including one in the ninth.
Francona said Jenks' pitches were "a little flatter today than we've seen all spring."
"His stuff's been pretty consistent all spring and he's been pitching in different situations. I just think tonight was a bad night," Francona said.
Twins starter Brian Duensing allowed six runs, three of them unearned, and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.
"Dunce was up," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He really didn't have his best stuff."
Justin Morneau doubled twice for the Twins. Darnell McDonald hit a bases-loaded triple for Boston.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
