Dustin Pedroia connects for a single in the fourth inning against the Twins yesterday.

AP / Jim Mone Jim Mone

MINNEAPOLIS — Over the years, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome has often been a House of Horrors for the Red Sox.

The slick artificial turf, the tough roof backdrop and speakers suspended from the ceiling have all conspired to cost the Red Sox games. Most recently, they suffered a three-game sweep at the hands of the host Minnesota Twins last summer. But yesterday, in holding off the Twins, 4-3, the Sox won their only series of the season here and got their six-game road trip off to the right start.

“We’ve lost a lot of games like today here so often,” said manager Terry Francona. “We come here and bad things happen. Some things didn’t go our way and we didn’t add on. But we ended up finding a way to win here. This is a tough place to play.”

So far this season, however, the Red Sox have flourished almost everywhere on the road. In six road series to date, the Red Sox have won five. They’re 11-6 road record is bettered only by Detroit among American League teams.

Naturally, pitching was again the key. In their last 12 road games, the Sox have not given up more than four runs in any one game, and the staff sports a sparkling 2.31 ERA in that stretch.

Curt Schilling (4-1) shut out the Twins for the first six innings, allowing just four hits.

“In the first six, said Francona. “that was about as comfortable in his delivery that I’ve seen him all season.”

In the seventh though, Schilling began to struggle. After getting the first out, he gave up a single to Mike Redmond and a walk to number eight hitter Luis Rodriguez. One out later, Luis Castillo and Jason Tyner had two-out, run-scoring singles and Schilling was finished at 99 pitches.

“I didn’t manage myself,” said Schilling later. “I let it get away. I spent 6 2/3 innings focusing pitch-to-pitch and executing the game plan. I fully intended to get through the ball game.”

Instead, Schilling needed help from the bullpen. Hideki Okajima surrendered an opposite-field single to Torii Hunter for an inherited run, but retired Justin Morneau with the potential go-ahead run on base.

Okajima handled the eighth, too, lowering his ERA to 0.56 and extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings over the last 15 outings. Jonathan Papelbon overpowered the Twins in the ninth for his 10th save.

The Sox had built a 4-0 lead for themselves against Sidney Ponson. J.D. Drew doubled home Alex Cora in the first and Kevin Youkilis’ single to right delivered Dustin Pedroia (three hits) in the third.

Two singles, three fielder’s choices and a walk helped double the Sox lead in the fifth before the Sox hit an offensive wall, held without a hit over the final three innings.

smcadam@projo.com