Minneapolis, MN -- (Sports Network) - Daisuke Matsuzaka threw seven solid innings, and the Boston Red Sox used four solo home runs to take a 5-2 win over Minnesota in the second of four games from the Metrodome.

Matsuzaka (6-0) gave up two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out seven for Boston, which has won two of three.

Kevin Youkilis, Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie and Mike Lowell each homered for the Red Sox. Lowrie, whose homer was the first of his career, and Youkilis each added a double.

Glen Perkins (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A to take the place of injured reliever Pat Neshek, took the loss after giving up three runs on nine hits in six-plus innings of work. He didn't walk a batter, and struck out three, but also gave up three homers.

"When you go six-plus and give up three runs, that's a good outing," Perkins said. "(Winning is) the most important thing, but (my outing is) definitely nothing to be disappointed about. At the same time, if I don't give up some of those home runs, maybe we win the game."

Brian Bass allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief for the Twins, who have lost two of three. Mike Lamb went 3-for-4 while Justin Morneau added a pair of hits and an RBI.

Consecutive homers from Crisp and Lowrie -- the first of the season for both -- led off the seventh inning and quickly erased Minnesota's lead.

"I didn't know if I got it good enough," Lowrie said. "When I rounded first I didn't see any umpires make a sign, so I was just running around the bases until someone said (to) stop."

Lowell's shot in the eighth put Boston up 4-2, and the Red Sox added an insurance run in the ninth. Lowrie led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a ground out. Dustin Pedroia plated him with another single, and though Boston went on to load the bases with two outs, Bobby Korecky struck out Youkilis to end the frame.

Jonathan Papelbon, who had blown two straight save opportunities, came in and pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 11th save of the season.

The teams traded runs in the second inning. Boston got the jump when Youkilis hammered his eighth homer of the season over the wall in left field. Minnesota then had an opportunity to not only tie, but take a substantial lead, in the home half after loading the bases with one out.

But Matsuzaka got Adam Everett swinging, and allowed only one run by walking Carlos Gomez. The frame ended without further damage when Matt Tolbert lined out to first.

The Twins edged in front on Morneau's RBI single in the fifth inning for a 2-1 lead.

Game Notes

The Twins left seven runners on base, while the Red Sox stranded 10...Boston won four of seven meetings between the clubs last season...Sunday's contest features Minnesota's Nick Blackburn (2-2) going against Tim Wakefield (3-1) for the Red Sox...Saturday, the Twins placed infielder Nick Punto on the 15- day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, and recalled infielder Alexi Casilla from Triple-A Rochester.