The 2011 Grapefruit League got started for the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night and they found themselves on the wrong side of the win colum in an 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The win by the Twins gives them a 1-0 lead in the Mayor’s Cup, a cup which the Red Sox have had a stranglehold on in recent years.
Josh Beckett got the start for the Red Sox and had a decent beginning to the 2011 spring campaign. He went 2 innings allowing one run on two hits. The two hits by the Twins came on pitches he left up in the zone. He was followed by Clay Buchholz, who threw two scoreless innings with a strikeout.
Hideki Okajima didn’t fool anyone on the Twins last night as he was rocked for four runs on five hits in an inning of work. Dan Wheeler made his Red Sox spring debut and allowed a run on two hits. He left a pitch up in the zone as well and former Red Sox farmhand Jeff Bailey cracked it out of the ballpark for a home run.
Scott Atchison worked a scoreless inning while Brandon Duckworth allowed two runs on three hits.
On the offensive side of things by the Red Sox regulars, Mike Cameron had a decent night as he was 1-for-3 with a stolen base. Kevin Youkilis also had a hit which were hard to come by early in the game for the Red Sox as did Darnell McDonald.
The offensive explosion for the Red Sox came in the eighth inning when the Red Sox got three runs, including a solo home run by Lars Anderson. Mark Wagner added a solo shot in the 9th. Josh Reddick knocked in a run as well.
It will be those same two teams again today as the Twins will head across town to City of Palms Park for a 1:05 game. Daisuke Matsuzaka will get the start and he’ll be followed by Tim Wakefield, Andrew Miller and Daniel Bard.
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Francona really steps into one [Boston Globe]
Pitcher caught breaks [Boston Globe]
Josh Beckett sees positives in effort [Boston Herald]
It all starts with a pitch [Boston Herald]
New stars adjust to spotlight [Boston Herald]
Clay Buchholz an early riser [Boston Herald]
Beckett has mixed feelings about spring debut [CSNNE.com]
Buchholz feels good during easygoing spring training [CSNNE.com]
A healthy and speedy Cameron [ESPN Boston]
Finding synergy with Salty [ESPN Boston]
Okajima: ‘Results were clearly poor’ [ESPN Boston]
Saltalamacchia gets his work in [Extra Bases]
Red Sox Prospect Lavarnway Knows The Drill [Hartford Courant]
Carl Crawford to See First Action in Revamped Red Sox Outfield Against Twins [NESN.com]
Mike Cameron’s Energetic Play One Highlight in Red Sox Loss to Twins [NESN.com]
Bowden survives stint in Venezuela [Providence Journal]
Red Sox journal: Mixed results for Beckett [Providence Journal]
Reyes impressive in first side session [RedSox.com]
Jenks says war of words with Ozzie is over [RedSox.com]
Exhibition or not, Beckett’s focus is already there [RedSox.com]
Reliever Okajima rocked in debut [RedSox.com]
Buchholz picks up where he left off [RedSox.com]
How Josh Beckett, Jon Lester view the Red Sox’ Opening Day starter debate [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
2011 Prospect Previews: Jose Vinicio and Kendrick Perkins [SoxProspects.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal and WEEI websites.
Photo credit: AP Photo
