BOSTON _ Maybe Kyle Gibson is keeping the Twins from dropping completely out of the AL Central race, making him too valuable to trade. Or maybe he's so valuable now, he's soon to join Cole Hamels, Nathan Eovaldi and J.A. Happ as a target of World Series contenders at the trade deadline.
Either way, the Twins don't mind seeing this Gibson at all.
The lanky right-hander, already enjoying the best season of his five-year career, shut down the major leagues' most potent offense on Thursday, and he did it before a crowded section of scouts from first-place teams. Gibson limited the Red Sox to four hits over eight innings and none after the fourth inning, while striking out six and walking only one, carrying the Twins to their fourth straight victory, 2-1 at Fenway Park.
Gibson reduced his ERA to 3.42 on the season, to 1.57 in his career in Boston, and showed off his durability by throwing a career-high 120 pitches. He even conquered one of his personal demons by holding MVP candidate Mookie Betts hitless in four at-bats, though he didn't always go quietly.
In all, the Gibson filmed a pretty convincing promotional tape for teams looking for stout pitching down the stretch. Five days remain before the July 31 trade deadline, and while teams like the Cubs, Yankees and these Red Sox have already addressed shortcomings in their rotations, the Twins figure to receive a few phone calls over the weekend about the Twins' former first-round pick.
Gibson's shakiest inning was his first, though it also helped burnish his reputation: He allowed a two-out single to J.D. Martinez, a double to Xander Bogaerts _ the only extra-base hit that Boston's lineup managed all night _ and a walk to Steve Pearce. But faced with that bases-loaded threat, Gibson calmly retired Rafael Devers on a routine fly ball to end the inning.
Boston eked out a run off of Gibson in the second inning, on an unusual inning-ending double play. Blake Swihart, who led off with a single, scored from third base on Betts' groundout to short, but Brock Holt rounded second base and headed for third on the play. Joe Mauer's throw across the diamond was perfect, nabbing Holt to snuff the last real threat Gibson would face.
Only two more batters reached base the rest of the night against Gibson, who recorded four of his strikeouts while facing the Red Sox hitters for the third time _ a particularly impressive trait to scouts. And despite having thrown 105 pitches through seven innings, manager Paul Molitor sent Gibson back out for the eighth, with a 1-2-3 inning the result.
The Twins were only marginally better against Boston pitching, of course; rookie lefthander Brian Johnson gave up three hits in the first inning, but only one more after that, retiring 14 straight batters and leaving without allowing a run in his 52/3 innings.
Minnesota finally got on the scoreboard against reliever Alan Embree in the seventh inning, with Robbie Grossman and Max Kepler providing singles, and Ehire Adrianza driving Grossman home with a double-play ball.
An inning later, Mitch Garner doubled home Brian Dozier _ Garver's sixth RBI in two days _ against Matt Barnes to give the Twins a lead that looked like plenty when Gibson was in, and not nearly enough when Fernando Rodney relieved him.
Rodney gave up a single, and then walked the bases loaded with two outs. He got down 3-0 to Bradley before throwing two straight called strikes and, with the crowd of 37,439 roaring, got him to swing and miss at a 97-mph fastball to end the game.
