Kenta Maeda overcame a sluggish start to earn his first win in just over a month Saturday after allowing two runs on five hits over 5-1/3 innings in the Minnesota Twins' 8-4 win over the New York Mets.

Maeda (4-7) let Brandon Nimmo go deep just three pitches into the game and Daniel Vogelbach also singled in a run in the first inning for the Mets, but the right-hander kept them off the board thereafter at Target Field.

Donovan Solano's two-run single in the second tied the game and Kyle Farmer singled in another in the third off David Peterson (3-8) to give the Twins the lead.

"The first inning wasn't really good but I could adjust well after that," Maeda said. "It's really pleasing to earn a win. It would have been best if I could pitch to the end of the sixth."

Max Kepler cleared the bases with a triple and Farmer doubled for another RBI as the Twins scored four decisive runs in the seventh.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kenta Maeda throws against the New York Mets during a baseball game at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sept. 9, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Shintaro Fujinami worked 1-2/3 perfect innings of relief to also pick up a win as the Baltimore Orioles outslugged the Boston Red Sox 13-12.

Fujinami (7-8) was sent to the mound with the Orioles leading 7-6 but with two on and one out in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. A double steal added more pressure but Fujinami retired two to get out of the jam.

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Shintaro Fujinami reacts after getting the final out of the sixth inning during a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sept. 9, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The Orioles scored two runs in the top of the sixth before Fujinami put up another zero in the home half, getting Rafael Devers and Justin Turner to ground out to third and striking out cleanup Triston Casas in three pitches with a 100-miles-per-hour fastball.

"Wins happen to come your way for relievers. I only think like I'm lucky," Fujinami said. "My job now is to attack the zone and concentrate on it whether I'm doing good or bad."

Masataka Yoshida went 3-for-6 and the Red Sox had 23 hits but they lost to the efficient Orioles who scored 13 runs from 14 hits.


Related coverage:

Baseball: Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws 2nd career no-hitter

Baseball: Pitching sensation Roki Sasaki to return Sept. 10

Baseball: Seiya Suzuki homers in 2nd straight game, has 4 hits in Cubs win