It’s always hard to lose a 1-0 ballgame, but something about doing it against the Boston Red Sox makes it harder. Maybe it’s because we’ve been winning so much, or because not many teams hold that lineup to just one run. Whatever the case may be, last night’s loss was harder to take than a normal loss over the course of the past month.

Scott Baker took the mound and was nothing short of spectacular. He held an All-Star lineup scoreless through seven strong innings. Not many pitchers go to Boston and pitch to guys like Manny Ramirez, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia or one of the many other All-Stars and give up just five hits and no runs.

Baker did just that, but unfortunately Matsuzaka was just as good and the usually clutch Twins lineup missed multiple opportunities to end the scoreless tie.

Neither team scored through seven innings, and the Twins had a chance to break the game open in the eighth with the bases loaded and just one out. However, Craig Monroe pinch-hit for Kubel and after getting ahead 2-0 in the count, Monroe popped up in foul territory.

Brian Bass entered the game in the eight and allowed one run to score, it became the game-winning run for the Red Sox.

The game would not have been as close had it not been for the spectacular plays by both teams. Denard Span made a running catch early in the game, and then later robbed Coco Crisp of a homerun. As for the Red Sox, they ended what might have been a Twins rally when Youkilis made a jumping catch and doubled the runner off first. Had he not gotten up, it would have been a hit and the Twins would’ve had two on with no outs.

For the Twins, they must win three or four games the rest of this week. Obviously a 3-4 or 4-3 record wouldn’t be ideal, but both would keep them at least ten games above the .500 mark at the break, which is nothing to sneeze at.