FORT MYERS, Florida — Newcomer Rusney Castillo blasted a solo home run in the 10th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins Thursday at JetBlue Park.
Castillo is regaining his form after missing two weeks of Grapefruit League play with a left oblique injury and may be heading to Triple-A Pawtucket at the start of the season depending on the status of right fielder Shane Victorino, who missed most of last season with injury woes.
Hanley Ramirez will be starting in left and Mookie Betts is turning in a strong spring in a bid to get the center fielder’s spot. Allen Craig, Daniel Nava and Brock Holt are also expected to see time in the outfield.
Betts chipped in with an RBI double on Thursday and is now hitting .472.
Boston left-hander Wade Miley, who has earned a spot in the starting rotation, recorded six solid innings, giving up four hits and three runs. He walked one and struck out four.
Boston’s David Ortiz and Mike Napoli have been battling nagging injuries, but were back in the lineup as Ortiz had a fielder’s choice grounder and Napoli had a hit and scored a run.
Eduardo Escobar sparked the Twins with a homer and sacrifice fly.
Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz will receive his second-to-last start of the spring before opening day when he faces the Braves at 1:05 p.m. Friday in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
SOX NOTES: RHP Koji Uehara, about to turn 40, was battling a hamstring injury that left his availability for opening day in doubt. “With each passing day that he’s not in a game, there’s growing concern,” manager John Farrell said Tuesday. “Will he be ready for April 6? We’re working through that. It’s important for all of us to see him in games and for Koji as well, to evaluate his stuff and what he has when he goes to the mound.” … RHPs Edward Mujica, Junichi Tazawa and Alexi Ogando were all candidates to close games if RHP Koji Uehara opens the season on the disabled list. If Uehara has to be disabled, the stay on the shelf is likely to be a short one.