Ryan hurls complete-game shutout to help the Twins past the Red Sox, 6-0, in finale

Joe Ryan allowed three hits while walking none and striking out nine in the ninth shutout and 14th complete game in MLB this season.

The difference between the arsenal of arms in Thursday’s matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins was stark.

Boston, left with an opening in its starting rotation after Tanner Houck was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a facial fracture, pieced together a bullpen a game with Justin Garza, Brandon Walter and Joe Jacques.

Minnesota needed just one arm.

Enjoying his best season to date, Joe Ryan pitched all nine innings to help the Twins beat the Red Sox, 6-0, Thursday in Minneapolis to split the four-game series.

Ryan allowed three hits while walking none and striking out nine in the ninth shutout and 14th complete game in MLB this season. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.98 and improved to 8-4 on the year. It was the first time a pitcher threw a complete-game shutout against the Red Sox since Sean Manaea threw a no-hitter against Boston in 2018, per Alex Speier.

Ryan pounded Boston with high fastballs and low splitters. Of his 112 pitches, he threw 75 fastballs and 35 splitters. Five of his nine strikeouts came on fastballs, with the other four coming on splitters.

Justin Turner lined a single to center field with one out in the top of the fourth to give Boston its first base runner. Rafael Devers served a soft single into left field in the seventh and David Hamilton punched a single — his first MLB hit — through the left side of the infield in the eighth. The Red Sox (39-37) never advanced a runner past first base.

Ryan pitched with an early lead thanks in part to Byron Buxton, who blasted solo home runs of 466 and 465 feet in the first and third innings, respectively. Carlos Correa put Minnesota ahead 1-0 in the first inning with a solo home run off Garza before Buxton’s first tape-measure shot.

Walter made his MLB debut when he entered for Garza after a leadoff single in the second inning. He allowed a single to Willi Castro, an RBI double to Michael A. Taylor and walked Donovan Solano before escaping the inning with Boston trailing 4-0.

Walter, a starter in the minors, settled in to pitch 6 2/3 innings, conceding three runs and six hits while walking three and fanning two. The left-hander set the Twins (38-38) down in order in the fourth and seventh. He allowed just one base runner in a scoreless sixth.

Kyle Farmer walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth and scored on Royce Lewis’ two-out single that made it 6-0.

After he was scratched from the lineup pregame Tuesday, Red Sox middle infielder Pablo Reyes left Thursday’s game in the bottom of the fourth.

The Red Sox next head to Chicago to open a three-game series at 8:10 p.m. Friday against the White Sox (32-44), who had the day off Thursday. Boston will send out Brayan Bello (4-4, 3.49 ERA) to oppose Chicago right-hander Lucas Giolito (5-4, 3.54).