Rookie LHP Rodriguez dominant as Red Sox top Twins 6-3

BOSTON (AP) – Eduardo Rodriguez followed up his brilliant major league debut by allowing one run and two hits in seven innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 6-3 in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday.

Seven days after a 5-1 win at Texas in which he left after giving up three hits in 7 2-3 shutout innings, the hard-throwing left-hander allowed just a solo homer by Brian Dozier in the third and an infield single by Danny Santana in the sixth.

Rodriguez (2-0) struck out seven and walked two before Alexi Ogando gave up a two-run homer to Eduardo Escobar in the ninth.

The game was a makeup for Monday night’s rainout.

The Red Sox scored five runs in 4 1-3 innings against Phil Hughes (4-5). Mike Napoli added a solo homer, his ninth of the season, in the seventh against Michael Tonkin, making it 6-1.

Dustin Pedroia had four singles, Xander Bogaerts added three and David Ortiz had two doubles.

After going 1-6 on a road trip, Boston got its second outstanding pitching performance against Minnesota. Clay Buchholz allowed three hits in eight innings in a 1-0 series-opening win Tuesday night.

Rodriguez, obtained from Baltimore for reliever Andrew Miller at last year’s trade deadline, was dominant through five innings, facing two batters over the minimum. In that span, he struck out seven, walked one and allowed only Dozier’s 10th homer that tied the game 1-1 when it went just inside the left-field foul pole. He retired his last six batters after putting runners at first and second with no outs in the sixth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco is expected to throw Thursday after leaving Sunday’s game against Toronto in the second inning when he felt pain in his right ankle. He is not on the disabled list.

Red Sox: LHP Brian Johnson, a top prospect, was scratched from his Triple-A start Wednesday to get extra rest. In 10 starts with Pawtucket, he is 6-3 with a 2.60 ERA. “There’s a typical approach taken with all starters there where they’ll skip a start at some point,” Boston manager John Farrell said.

UP NEXT

Twins: LHP Tommy Milone (2-1) pitches in the final of the four-game series Thursday night, his first appearance for Minnesota since being sent to Triple-A Rochester on May 1. Milone allowed five runs in four innings in his most recent start with the Twins, picking up his only loss.

Red Sox: RHP Steven Wright (2-2) makes his fourth start this season for Boston in place of Justin Masterson, who is on the disabled list. In his last start, the knuckleballer allowed two homers to Josh Hamilton in a 7-4 loss at Texas.