The Boston Red Sox found the spark they were looking for on Wednesday afternoon as Trevor Story delivered a vintage performance to lead his team to a 9-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins. In a game defined by timely hitting and a career-best pitching performance from a rising young arm, Story’s five runs batted in served as the cornerstone of a dominant offensive display at Target Field.
Trevor Story Leads the Offensive Surge
For Trevor Story, the 2026 season has been about finding consistency, and Wednesday’s performance was a loud reminder of his game-changing potential. Story finished the day 2-for-4, highlighted by a towering three-run home run in the third inning that cleared the left-center field wall. The blast, measured at 411 feet with an exit velocity of 101.8 mph, turned a narrow deficit into a commanding lead.
Story wasn't finished there. In the sixth inning, he stepped to the plate with runners on and delivered once again, lining a two-run double off Twins reliever Anthony Banda to extend the Red Sox lead to 9-1. By the time the final out was recorded, Story had accounted for more than half of Boston’s runs, marking one of his most productive single-game outings in a Red Sox uniform.
Connelly Early Delivers Career-Best Performance
While the bats provided the fireworks, left-hander Connelly Early provided the stability on the mound. Early earned his first win of the season (1-0) by pitching six strong innings, the longest outing of his eight major league starts. He surrendered just one run on two hits and two walks while striking out five Twins hitters.
Early’s efficiency allowed the Boston bullpen to remain relatively fresh, despite a late-inning push by Minnesota. His ability to navigate a dangerous Twins lineup gave the Red Sox the confidence to play aggressively on the basepaths and at the plate. Early’s performance is a promising sign for a Boston rotation looking for depth as the spring schedule continues.
Minnesota Twins Undone by Costly Errors
The Minnesota Twins started the game with momentum when Austin Martin launched a solo home run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. However, the wheels came off in the third inning, largely due to defensive miscues. Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall committed a double error on a ground ball hit by Masataka Yoshida, failing to secure the ball and then throwing it away. The mistakes allowed two runs to score and set the stage for Story’s three-run blast on the very next pitch.
Minnesota starter Simeon Woods Richardson struggled to recover from the defensive lapses behind him. He was tagged for seven runs—six of them earned—over five innings of work, dropping his record to 0-3 on the season. Although the Twins attempted a late rally in the ninth inning behind a three-run home run from Ryan Kreidler, the deficit proved too large to overcome.
Lineup Contributions and Looking Ahead
The Red Sox offense was firing on all cylinders, totaling 13 hits in the contest. Andruw Monasterio was a standout at the bottom of the order, collecting three hits and an RBI double. Meanwhile, Ceddanne Rafaela, batting second for just the second time in his career, showed poise with a hit and a walk, scoring twice to support the heart of the order.
With this victory, the Red Sox look to carry their momentum back home. They are scheduled to open a series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, with left-hander Ranger Suarez (1-1, 5.20 ERA) taking the mound. The Twins will remain at home to host the Cincinnati Reds, sending Joe Ryan (2-1, 3.80 ERA) to the hill as they look to bounce back from only their second loss in the last ten games.
Sources & Original Reporting
