Darnell McDonald

It was a backwards sort of night for the Red Sox offense. The team reached base more times through walks (8) than with hits (6). Yet for much of the night, the Sox could not take advantage of Minnesota’s command struggles, in part because the top seven hitters in the lineup were a combined 3-for-21.

Yet the Sox were nonetheless propelled to a 4-3 victory over the Twins by an unlikely duo that did the entirety of the damage against Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano. Darnell McDonald blasted a two-run homer as part of a 2-for-3 night, while Jason Varitek walked in front of one of McDonald’s homer and later delivered a run-scoring single of his own.

Their performances helped to improve the Sox — a team that was expected to struggle against southpaws because of its left-leaning lineup — to 27-12 this year in games started by an opposing left-hander.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE RED SOX

– After a disastrous first inning (37 pitches of which 21 were balls for four walks and two runs) that was reminiscent of his poor first start back from the DL on July 29 (1 1/3 innings, 6 walks, 6 runs), Erik Bedard settled into a dominant groove over the remainder of his outing.

The left-hander, in his second start with the Sox, recovered to deliver four shutout innings in which he permitted two hits and didn’t walk another batter. He required just 53 pitches (35 strikes) over those four frames. On the night, aside from his first inning command issues, Bedard was strong, getting swings and misses on his 91-93 mph fastball, changeup and curveball. He was in position to earn the win after throwing 90 pitches in five innings before the bullpen gave up the lead.

– Darnell McDonald blasted a homer as part of a 2-for-3 day against Twins starter Francisco Liriano. Since July 1, McDonald has asserted himself as a highly productive option against left-handed pitchers. During that time, he’s hitting .278 with a .409 OBP, .611 slugging mark, 1.020 OPS and three homers in 44 plate appearances against southpaws.

– For the 13th time this season (second most in the majors), the Red Sox drew seven or more walks. They are now 12-1 in such contests.

– For the second straight night and the 10th time in his last 16 games, Adrian Gonzalez had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a walk — a tremendously productive stretch that helps to explain why he is unconcerned about the fact that he has hit just one homer in the last month. Gonzalez did, however, add to his major league-leading total of double play grounders, hitting into his 25th of the year.

– Dustin Pedroia matched a career high by walking three times, a feat he’d previously accomplished five times (most recently on June 21). Pedroia now has 73 walks for the season, one short of his career high in 2009.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE RED SOX

– After permitting runs in just six of his first 35 games this season, Matt Albers has struggled in August, a pattern that continued on Tuesday. For the third time in four outings this month, he permitted a run and an extra-base hit, this one a run-scoring double to Danny Valencia. He did strike out a pair of batters, though Albers also walked one, and required 30 pitches to navigate his one inning of work. The three games in which he’s permitted a run match his most in any full month this season.

– Jacoby Ellsbury was 0-for-5, marking the first time he’d been hitless in that many at-bats since an 0-for-8 night on July 17.

– Kevin Youkilis continued his road struggles, going 0-for-4 with a walk. On the year, he is now hitting .188 away from Fenway with a .654 OPS.