Red Sox Storm Back Late to Beat Twins 7–2
Romero ignites seventh-inning rally as Boston flips early deficit in Fort Myers
Spring training baseball is basically a trust fall exercise.
You fall behind early… you pretend not to care… and then suddenly a bunch of 22-year-olds start hitting rockets and you’re fist-pumping like it’s October.
That was today in Fort Myers.
The Red Sox spotted the Twins an early lead, looked lifeless for four innings, and then flipped the script with a five-run seventh and three-run ninth to take down Minnesota, 7–2.
Game at a Glance
Early Jolt from Royce Lewis
The afternoon started quietly enough. Roman Anthony popped out. Ceddanne Rafaela got plunked and stole second. Nothing doing.
Then in the bottom of the first, Royce Lewis did what Royce Lewis does when healthy: he crushed a ball into left-center for a solo homer.
Just like that, it was 1–0 Minnesota.
In the fourth, Luke Keaschall tripled and Lewis followed with an RBI single. 2–0 Twins.
Through four innings, Boston had managed exactly zero runs and exactly zero panic — because it’s February — but also exactly zero momentum.
Monasterio Keeps It Close
The offense finally showed a pulse in the fifth.
Andruw Monasterio ambushed a pitch and sent it out to left for a solo homer. Suddenly it was 2–1.
That swing mattered. It stopped the slow bleed and kept the Sox within striking distance heading into the late innings.
The rest of the middle frames were clean pitching and quick outs. Vinny Nittoli, Jacob Webb, and others kept Minnesota quiet while the bench mob waited for its moment.
The Seventh-Inning Flip
And then the kids went to work.
It started with a walk to Matt Thaiss. Then Kristian Campbell doubled to center, putting runners at second and third.
Enter Mikey Romero.
Romero ripped a ground ball through the middle that deflected off the Twins’ infield. Two runs scored. Boston grabbed a 3–2 lead.
Momentum? Fully shifted.
Moments later, Braiden Ward forced action, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on a fielder’s choice by Allan Castro.
4–2 Sox.
That inning was pure pressure baseball — speed, aggression, forcing mistakes. Exactly the kind of chaos that separates depth from filler.
Ninth-Inning Insurance (a.k.a. The Hammer)
If the seventh was the comeback, the ninth was the knockout.
Romero singled again and advanced on a fielding error. Castro followed with an RBI single. Then a walk, then Mickey Gasper drove in another run.
Nick Sogard lined out but plated a run thanks to a throwing error. Suddenly it was 7–2 and Minnesota was just trying to get out of town.
The bottom of the ninth? Clean. Drama-free. Ballgame.
Standout Performers
Mikey Romero: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, catalyst in seventh and ninth
Andruw Monasterio: Solo HR
Kristian Campbell: Key double that sparked rally
Allan Castro: RBI single in ninth
Bullpen: Scoreless final three innings
Romero in particular looks comfortable. Confident swings. No panic. Quick hands. You can see the development.
The Roman Anthony Watch
Anthony struck out twice today and didn’t square one up.
Relax.
Spring is about rhythm, not box score headlines. He’s seeing reps against big-league arms and adjusting. The talent doesn’t evaporate because of two punchouts in February.
But if you’re looking for early camp storylines? The infield depth is making noise.
Romero. Campbell. Monasterio. Sogard.
There are real roster battles brewing.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to shrug at spring results.
But comebacks matter. Competitive at-bats matter. Bullpen shutdown innings matter.
The Red Sox didn’t fold after Royce Lewis’ early punch. They absorbed it, adjusted, and answered late.
That’s what good depth looks like.
And if Boston is going to surprise anyone in 2026, it’s going to be because waves of young players keep forcing the issue.
Today? They did exactly that.