Twins Destroy Red Sox at Fenway, 17-5

May 25, 1965 - Boston’s pitching and Fenway Park’s chummy left-field wall brought out the home-run best in the Twins tonight for an easy 17-5 victory.

Five home runs — Tony Oliva (pictured), Bob Allison, Jerry Kindall, Earl Battey, and Zoilo Versalles — powered the Twins’ 20-hit onslaught against four Red Sox pitchers for 41 total bases.

The Twins broke the club record of 15 runs, achieved twice last year, and tied their previous hit high of 20 at Washington, Aug. 29, 1963.

Behind this barrage, righthander Jim Grant eased to his fifth triumph without a loss. 

Boston joined the home-run carnival with swats by Eddie Bressoud, Lee Thomas, Gary Geiger, and first-year catcher Jerry Moses, who hit one far over the 315-foot left-field wall in his second American League at-bat.

Harmon Killebrew and Jimmie Hall each got three hits for Minnesota — but nary a homer. 

“We got 17 runs on the scoreboard,” said Harmon. “That’s good enough for me. Let the big guys hit the home runs. I’ll take the singles as long as we’re winning.”

Manager Sam Mele of the Twins said the new single-game run record for Minnesota and a record-equaling 20 hits “gave me the most relaxed game I’ve ever manager.”

“I was laughing after the fifth inning,” Mele admitted. “We needed a laugher after all those tough games we’ve been playing. I don’t know whether it was the park or the Red Sox pitching, but believe me, I welcomed the relief.”

Grant, however, was not too well satisfied.

“They hit four home runs off me,” he said. “That’s too many. With a man or two on, I could have been embarrassed by not being able to finish a runaway. I’ve got to pitch better than that.”

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