Red Sox reactions: Boston’s 4-0 lead vanishes as Justin Slaten (2 late HRs) crumbles vs. Twins

BOSTON — Instant reactions as the Red Sox (22-28) can’t capitalize on an early 4-0 lead and suffer a rare loss in which the bullpen is to blame in an 8-6 defeat at the hands of the Twins on Friday night: 1) After Chad Tracy pulled Payton Tolle — who had retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced — at just 85 pitches, reliever Justin Slaten came into the game with a three-run lead (6-3) and imploded. With one out and Luke Keaschall on base after a leadoff single, star Byron Buxton got a high cutter and demolished it over the Green Monster for a two-run homer that made it 6-4. Two batters later, it was Austin Martin’s turn as he stayed on a sweeper and laced it into the Monster seats to put Minnesota up, 7-6.

Slaten missed a month with an oblique issue but had otherwise been nearly perfect, allowing one unearned run on four hits in his first eight innings of 2026. But everything unraveled Friday as he snapped a career-long streak of 15 consecutive scoreless appearances. Things got even worse in the ninth as usually steady lefty Tyler Samaniego allowed three straight batters to reach (error, single, hit-by-pitch) and newcomer Tyron Guerrero walked in a run with the bases loaded to make it 8-6.

2) The Red Sox have lost plenty of games so far this season, but very few in the fashion they did Friday (with a big early lead and the bullpen to blame). Boston has had the lead after six innings in 18 games this season. Friday’s loss was its second in that category (16-2), which speaks to how good the bullpen has been.

Leads of 4-0 and 6-3 have been safe all season. For the third time this year, the Red Sox missed a chance to extend a three-game winning streak to a season-long four. They had previously won three games in a row twice (April 25-27 and May 4-6) but have been unable to get over the four-in-a-row hump.