Twins stretch win streak to 11 with 5-2 victory over Red Sox behind Paddack's 6 innings

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chris Paddack pitched six scoreless innings to carry the Minnesota Twins to their 11th consecutive victory, a 5-2 decision over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

The Twins matched win streaks in 2003 and 2006 for their third-longest ever, trailing the club record of 15 straight during its last World Series championship season in 1991. Minnesota won 12 in a row in 1980.

The Twins (18-13) also have the longest winning streak in the major leagues this year. There were only four last season of 10-plus games, topped by Tampa Bay's 13 straight.

“I felt great out there. I wasn’t going to be the guy that ended the streak. I made it personal out there,” said Paddack, who has been run-free in two of his last three starts. “We’re definitely on a tear right now, and we want to keep the ball rolling.”

Edouard Julien hit a two-out RBI single to give Paddack (3-1) a lead in the third, and the lanky, long-haired right-hander took it from there. He allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one in perhaps his finest start with the Twins, who acquired him in a trade with San Diego at the beginning of the 2022 season. He made just five starts that year and was lost to elbow ligament replacement surgery.

“He’s grinded through Tommy John. He’s grinded through the rehab process," catcher Ryan Jeffers said. "He’s always looking for ways to get better.”

Red Sox starter Tanner Houck (3-3) completed six innings for the sixth time in seven turns, but he was pulled three batters into the seventh as the Twins broke the game open with a four-run inning.

Julien drew a bases-loaded walk on an automatic ball for a pitch clock violation called on Naoyuki Uwasawa, before Jeffers delivered a two-run double.

The Red Sox were right away on the verge of one of those big innings when Jarren Duran reached on a rare error by shortstop Carlos Correa to start the game and Rafael Devers followed with a double. But Paddack deftly escaped on a strikeout, a popup to Correa and a soft grounder to second base.

“It was a chance to get the lead with one of our best pitchers," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "You score one or two there with Tanner Houck on the mound, you feel pretty good.”

Devers hit a two-run double in the eighth to cut the lead to three, but Jhoan Duran worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save. Boston (18-15) struck out 13 times.

The Twins happily returned home from six games on the road that gave them their first undefeated trip of six-plus games in franchise history, toting their lucky summer sausage and a lineup full of hot hitters.

Willi Castro, who scored on Julien's single in the third, is 3 for 5 in his career against the right-handed Houck with a double and a home run.

Pushing his hitting streak to a career-best nine games, Castro went 2 for 3 with two runs and a sacrifice bunt. He's slated for regular duty in center field with Byron Buxton on the injured list with knee trouble.

“I don’t think anybody in this clubhouse is counting what number are we on," Jeffers said. "It’s fun winning baseball games, and we keep doing it and finding different ways to win.”

UP NEXT

The Red Sox have scheduled a bullpen game for Saturday afternoon, with a hole in their injury-ravaged rotation, and LHP Brennan Bernardino (0-1, 0.73 ERA) will start. RHP Pablo López (2-2, 4.83 ERA) will take the mound for the middle game of the series for the Twins.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Minnesota Twins Willi Castro hits a sacrifice bunt against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Ryan Jeffers celebrates after his two RBI double against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' second baseman Edouard Julien (47) throws the ball to first base to get out Boston Red Sox Garrett Cooper during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' starting pitcher Chris Paddack delivers against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck (89) delivers against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Jhoan Duran celebrates the teams win after a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Members of the Minnesota Twins celebrate after their win over the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' starting pitcher Chris Paddack delivers against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A 20-minute drive separates the historic Maracana Stadium from the Complexo do Alemao, one of Rio de Janeiro's most impoverished and violent favelas.

One of its residents, 15-year-old soccer player Kaylane Alves dos Santos, hopes her powerful shots and impressive dribbles will allow her to cover that short distance from slum to stadium in three years to play for Brazil's national team in the final of the 2027 Women's World Cup.

That chance, once remote, became more realistic on Friday when FIFA members voted to make Brazil the first Latin American country to host the Women's World Cup.

Local organizers have suggested that both the opening match and the final are likely to be played at the 78,000-seat Maracana Stadium that staged the final matches of the 1950 and the 2014 men's soccer World Cups.

Teenager dos Santos knows the hurdles for her to ever play for Brazil remain enormous — in 2027 or later. She doesn't have a professional club to play for, she only trains twice a week, and her nutrition is not the best due to limited food choices in the favela.

Most importantly, she often can't leave home to play when police and drug dealers shoot at each other in Complexo do Alemao.

Still, she is excited and hopeful about Brazil hosting the Women's World Cup, resulting in a big boost to her confidence.

“We have a dream (of playing for Brazil in the Women’s World Cup), and if we have that chance it will be the best thing in the world,” dos Santos told The Associated Press this week after a training session in the Complexo do Alemao.

She and about 70 other young women in the Bola de Ouro project train on an artificial grass pitch in a safe region of the 3-square kilometers long (1.15 square mile) community.

If not on the pitch, Dos Santos and her teammates will be happy enough just to attend games of a tournament they could only dream of watching up close until FIFA members voted for Brazil over the Germany-Netherlands-Belgium joint bid. The Women's World Cup was played for the first time in 1991 and will have its 10th edition in 2027.

A five-time champion in men's soccer, more than any other country, Brazil has yet to win its first Women's World Cup trophy. By then, it is unlikely superstar Marta, aged 38, will be in the roster. Dos Santos and thousands of young female footballers who have overcome sexism to take up the sport are keen to get inspiration from the six-time FIFA player of the year award winner and write their own history on home soil.

As many female footballers experience in Brazil, dos Santos and her teenage teammates rarely play without boys on their teams. Until recently, they also had to share the pitch with five-year-old girls, which didn't allow the older players to train as hard as they would like.

“(The Women's World Cup in Brazil) makes us focus even more in trying to get better. We need to be able to play in this,” said 16-year-old Kamilly Alves dos Santos, Kaylane's sister and also a player on the team. “We need to keep training, sharing our things."

Their team, which has already faced academy sides of big local clubs like Botafogo, is trained by two city activists who once tried to become players themselves.

Diogo Chaves, 38, and Webert Machado, 37, work hard to get some of their players to the Women's World Cup in Brazil, but if that's not possible they will be happy by keeping them in school.

Their non-profit group is funded solely by donations.

“At first, basically, the children wanted to eat. But now we have all of this,” said Chaves, adding that the project began three years ago. “We believe they can get to the national team. But our biggest challenge is opportunity. There's little for children from here, not only for the girls.”

Machado said the two coaches “are not here to fool anyone” and do not believe all the young women they train will become professionals.

“What we want from them is for they to be honest people, we all need to have our character,” Machado said. “We want to play and make them become nurses, doctors, firefighters, some profession in the future."

The two dos Santos sisters, as do many of their teammates, believe that reaching the Women's World Cup as Complexo do Alemao residents is possible. Brazil has more than 100 professional women's soccer teams, with other players living in favelas, too.

But it won't be easy.

“Sometimes I have to cancel appointments because of shootings, because there’s barricades on fire,” she said. “Sometimes police tell us to go back home, they say we can’t come down and point their guns to me, to my mother,” said Kamilly.

Her sister hopes the pair will overcome the violence, against the odds.

“I want to earn my living in soccer, fulfill all dreams," Kaylane says. "And I want to leave the Complexo do Alemao. I want to make it happen.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

An overhead view of the pitch where young women take part in a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Agatha smiles during a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Agatha strikes a ball during a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Young women ready breakfast for fellow participants as part of a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Relatives watch a soccer training session for young women run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Young women and their coach Dioguinho bring it in for a team huddle at the start of a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)