MINNEAPOLIS -- Find a way. Any way.\n\nThat was the mission of the Red Sox as they came to work on getaway Wednesday night at Target Field, trying to wash away the fatigue caused by a 17-inning loss, not to mention an unforgiving recent schedule.\n\nCall it a satisfyingly successful mission for the defending World Series champion Sox, who notched a 9-4 victory in the rubber match of a three-game series against the Twins -- the team that entered the day with the best winning percentage in MLB.\n\n• [Box score](https://www.mlb.com/gameday/566998/final/box)\n\nIt was a sure sign of progress from a Boston team that had gone 4-9 while losing all five series in a recent stretch against contenders Houston, New York (Yankees), Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
\n\n \n\n\"It's been a topic of everybody,\" said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. \"It's a team, they've got forty-whatever wins, and the best record in the American League. We came here and yesterday we played a great game, we bounced back today, we won the first one. They have a good team, but we do, too. We're playing a lot better lately.\"\n\nOn a night the bullpen was beyond spent,
\n\n \n\nFor Rodriguez, it marked the first time he's gone seven innings or more in back-to-back starts since his first two outings as a Major Leaguer in 2015.\n\n\"It means a lot to save the bullpen and go out there and get seven innings,\" Rodriguez said. \"For me, it's something I've been trying to do a long time. I've had the opportunity to do it the last two starts, help the bullpen, and I feel really good with that.\"
\n\n \n\nAnd give credit to the offense, which washed away the taste of going 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday by going 7-for-14 in that same category in this one. The Sox put together three-run rallies in the second, fifth and eighth innings.\n\n\"I was joking with them, very professional \\[approach\\],\" said Cora. \"It was a good win, very quiet, just do the right thing, play the game the right way, and all of a sudden, we look up and we had the lead. We had chances to put them away early. We didn't. But then in the eighth inning, with the triple \\[by
\n\nTo bounce back from Tuesday's deflating loss and to take two out of three at Target Field to complete a 5-1 road trip created a happy flight back to Boston for the Red Sox, who will enjoy their first day off since June 3 on Thursday.\n\n\"Yeah, it was good, especially after last night's game. We could have come in and kind of been dragging today,\" said second baseman
During a stretch of 17 games in 16 days, Cora's squad went 11-6. This, after winning seven of their last eight -- the only loss coming Tuesday.\n\nThe Sox (41-35) aren't all the way back yet, but they look like a team that is starting to regain its footing. With 86 games to go, Boston trails the Yankees by 6 1/2 games in the [American League East](https://www.mlb.com/standings \"undefined\").
\n\n\"It's a huge win,\" said third baseman