BOSTON (AP) - A day after managing only two hits and getting shut out by Minnesota, the Boston Red Sox did much better at the plate.

Even so, 14 hits weren't enough to beat the Twins.

The Red Sox squandered an early four-run lead and failed to score after the third inning, falling 6-5 to the Twins in the 10th Friday night.

Advertisement

``We felt like we were in complete control of the game and then they have a big inning and we just seem not be able to find a way to score,' Boston star Dustin Pedroia said.

Jamey Carroll's single off Vicente Padilla (4-1) with one out in the 10th scored Darin Mastroianni from second base with the go-ahead run.

Jared Burton pitched a perfect 10th to record his fourth save of the season for Minnesota, which owns the second-worst record in the AL.

Boston was 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 on base overall. The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but Tyler Robertson struck out Jacoby Ellsbury and got Pedroia to fly out to preserve a 5-all tie.

Following a four-game winning streak, the Red Sox have dropped three straight and fallen back below .500 at 53-54.

``Talent can only go so far. You have to figure out ways to win,' Red Sox right fielder Cody Ross said. ``There's a difference between being a really talented group and being a winning group.

``On paper, it looks like that, but right now it just feels like we're treading water and it's not a good feeling. We got to snap out of it.'

Boston capitalized on a rare error by first baseman Justin Morneau in the third inning.

After Adrian Gonzalez drove in Pedroia with a single to put the Red Sox in front 2-1, Minnesota starter Brian Duensing retired Ryan Lavarnway and Will Middlebrooks, and seemingly escaped the inning on a routine foul pop up by Carl Crawford.

But Morneau dropped the ball just in front of Boston's dugout, and Crawford hit Duensing's next pitch into Boston's bullpen, staking the Red Sox to a 5-1 lead.

It went downhill from there, though.

``We had chances. We just didn't come through,' Pedroia said. ``That's basically it.'

Carroll and Morneau each went 4 for 4 and reached base five times. Morneau doubled twice and Carroll also doubled.

Mastroianni led off the 10th with a double. After Middlebrooks made a spectacular diving catch on a bunted foul ball by Brian Dozier, Carroll singled and dropped Boston to 2-6 in extra-inning games this season.

Jeff Gray (6-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win.

Crawford singled, doubled and hit his third home run in a week for the Red Sox.

On Thursday night, Boston got a pair of hits from Gonzalez and nothing else in a 5-0 loss to the Twins.

``Last night, that was awful offensively. And then tonight, it was a good game, we just didn't find a way to pull away,' Pedroia said. ``When (Carl Crawford) hit the big home run, we didn't score any more runs. We got to do a better job of that.'

After Boston left the bases loaded in the eighth, Lavarnway doubled with two outs in the ninth, but Middlebrooks grounded out to end the threat.

Red Sox starter Felix Doubront couldn't hold the 5-1 lead. He went five innings, allowing five runs and eight hits.

Control problems got the best of him in the fifth, enabling the Twins to tie it. Doubront walked Joe Mauer to load the bases and then walked the next batter, Josh Willingham, to make it 5-2. Morneau hit a soft two-run single and the Twins made it 5-all on a sacrifice fly by Danny Valencia.

``I think with Felix pitching and a four-run lead, I think they felt it was going to be a different kind of game and then they kind of had to shift gears,' Boston manager Bobby Valentine said. ``And they did, getting guys on base, and just misfired.'

NOTES: Boston RHP Josh Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday because of a lower back injury. Franklin Morales will return to the rotation to fill Beckett's slot. ... Injured Red Sox slugger David Ortiz took batting practice and did some running drills prior to the game. The designated hitter has been on the DL since July 17 with a right Achilles strain. ... Red Sox reliever Andrew Bailey, who has missed the entire season after undergoing right thumb surgery, will pitch for Double-A Portland on Sunday. ... The Red Sox Hall of Fame Class of 2012, including Curt Schilling, Marty Barrett and Ellis Burks, was honored during a midday induction ceremony and again prior to the game.