Final, Orioles 13-2: The beating finally is over.
The Red Sox committed six errors while dropping the nightcap of their split-squad versus the Orioles, 13-2. Boston also lost the clubs’ afternoon contest in Sarasota, 7-3.
The Orioles did most of their Game 2 damage in the seventh inning. The O’s posted eight runs amid some sloppy play by Boston’s defense, which was the theme of Saturday night’s tilt.
The Red Sox mustered up just three hits against Kevin Gausman and Co. Boston’s two runs came in the ninth inning, when Christian Vazquez launched a two-run homer over the JetBlue Park Green Monster.
Brandon Workman started Saturday night’s game for Boston. The right-hander gave up two earned runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.
Miguel Celestino was tagged for six runs (three earned) in the seventh inning without recording an out.
The Red Sox will travel to Bradenton on Sunday. They’ll take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Mid 9th, Orioles 13-0: The Red Sox’s defensive woes continued in the ninth inning.
Third baseman Garin Cecchini knocked down a ground ball with two outs in the ninth, but his throw across the diamond was in the dirt. First baseman Brandon Snyder couldn’t scoop it.
Cecchini’s miscue opened the door for another Baltimore run. Michael Ohlman doubled down the left field line to set up second and third, and Mike Yastrzemski singled home the Orioles’ 13th run of the contest.
The Red Sox have committed six errors.
End 8th, Orioles 12-0: The Red Sox have just three outs to make up 12 runs. Hey, it’s possible, right?
Ryan Webb tossed a perfect eighth inning for Baltimore. Corey Brown, Jonathan Herrera and Alex Hassan went down without a whisper.
Brown struck out looking to begin the inning. Herrera and Hassan both grounded out.
Mid 8th, Orioles 12-0: Jose Valdez made sure the eighth inning was far less painful for Boston.
Valdez worked a 1-2-3 eighth, retiring Sharlon Schoop, Dariel Alvarez and Trey Mancini in order.
Valdez struck out Mancini to cap the inning. The pitch was in the dirt, so catcher Christian Vazquez tossed down to first base to complete the out.
End 7th, Orioles 12-0: It’s been all Orioles in this one.
The Red Sox have mustered up just two hits and have yet to get on the scoreboard. The O’s, meanwhile, have 11 hits to go with their 12 runs.
Brandon Snyder singled and Jonny Gomes worked a walk in the seventh inning, but nothing came of it for Boston.
Mid 7th, Orioles 12-0: It was an incredibly sloppy inning for the Red Sox.
Miguel Celestino took over on the mound and failed to record an out. Celestino issued two walks, Heiker Meneses and Jonathan Herrera each made an error, Steve Clevenger and Henry Urrutia each singled, and Baltimore scored three runs before John Farrell called upon Shunsuke Watanabe.
Watanabe didn’t fare much better. The submarine-style righty plunked Johnny Monell to force in Baltimore’s eighth run of the game.
Michael Almanzar, who hit a two-run double earlier in the contest, then made it 9-0 with a line-drive single into right field, and Michael Ohlman made it 11-0 with a two-run double off the JetBlue Monster. Baltimore added its 12th run on a fielder’s choice that involved a rundown between second and third base.
The Orioles ended up scoring eight runs in the inning.
End 6th, Orioles 4-0: The Red Sox were unable to scratch across any runs in the sixth despite a couple of two-out walks.
Daniel Nava and Dustin Pedroia both walked with two down in the sixth inning, but David Ortiz was unable to capitalize with ducks on the pond. Ortiz lifted a high fly ball to left field that was easily hauled in.
Nava and Pedroia both were lifted for pinch runners in the sixth inning. Alex Hassan and Heiker Meneses will remain in the game in right field and at second base, respectively.
Mid 6th, Orioles 4-0: The Orioles tacked on a pair in the sixth.
Michael Almanzar, a former Red Sox farmhand who was selected by the Orioles in the offseason’s Rule 5 draft, planted a two-run double off the center field wall.
Brayan Villarreal, pitching his second inning, fired an errant pickoff throw to first base with one out.
End 5th, Orioles 2-0: Evan Meek has retired all six hitters he has faced since taking over for Kevin Gausman.
Meek sandwiched Jonny Gomes’ popout with a pair of strikeouts in the fifth inning. A.J. Pierzynski and Xander Bogaerts both went down swinging.
Brayan Villarreal will come back out for another inning for Boston.
Mid 5th, Orioles 2-0: Jemile Weeks wreaked havoc on the bases in the fifth inning. The Orioles stranded him 90 feet away, though.
Weeks walked with one out. He subsequently stole second base and third base. (Weeks swiped third without a throw from catcher A.J. Pierzynski.)
Brayan Villarreal escaped the inning by striking out Ryan Flaherty and retiring Steve Pearce on a groundout.
End 4th, Orioles 2-0: Evan Meek took over after three strong innings from Kevin Gausman. Meek enjoyed similar success.
Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli went down in order.
Ortiz created a buzz with a deep drive to right field. It looked like it had a chance to leave the yard, but Henry Urrutia retreated to make the catch on the edge of the warning track.
Brayan Villarreal will be the new Boston pitcher in the fifth inning.
Mid 4th, Orioles 2-0: Brandon Workman couldn’t get through the fourth inning.
Workman issued a leadoff walk to Ryan Flaherty and surrendered a base hit to Steve Pearce. Pearce’s knock ate up Jonny Gomes in left field, allowing Flaherty to scamper all the way to third base.
Pearce joined Flaherty in scoring position when a passed ball charged to A.J. Pierzynski allowed Pearce to advance to second base.
Nolan Reimold put the O’s on the scoreboard with a slow grounder in the infield. Xander Bogaerts charged it, but Reimold beat out the shortstop’s throw for an infield single that plated Flaherty from third base.
Reimold’s infield single knocked Workman from the game. Chris Hernandez entered and surrendered a wall-ball double to Henry Urrutia that scored Pearce with Baltimore’s second run.
Workman was charged with two earned runs on four hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out two.
End 3rd, 0-0: Xander Bogaerts hit the ground after fouling a ball off his foot in the third inning. Fortunately, the 21-year-old bounced up, dusted himself off and dug back in.
Bogaerts grounded out to third base for the first out of another scoreless inning for Kevin Gausman.
Corey Brown singled into center field in the inning, but Gausman ensured it didn’t lead to anything major. Jonathan Herrera grounded out to second base, and Daniel Nava flied out to the edge of the warning track in left field.
Mid 3rd, 0-0: David Lough hit a ball a long way, ran a whole lot, lost his helmet and got dirty. The Orioles have nothing to show for it.
Lough drilled a ball over center fielder Corey Brown’s head and into the triangle at JetBlue Park. Lough never stopped running, but was gunned down at the plate going for an inside-the-park home run.
Brown fed the relay throw to Xander Bogaerts, who delivered a strike on the fly to catcher A.J. Pierzynski to nail Lough by a mile.
Jemile Weeks grounded out to second base to end the inning.
End 2nd, 0-0: Kevin Gausman put together another solid inning in the second.
Gausman struck out Mike Napoli to kick things off, and then retired A.J. Pierzynski and Jonny Gomes.
Pierzynski flied out to left field, and Gomes popped out to second base.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: The Red Sox played some nice defense in the second inning.
Brandon Workman began the inning by striking out Nolan Reimold. Xander Bogaerts and Mike Napoli followed the strikeout by flashing some leather.
Bogaerts made a rangy play on a ground ball up the middle. Napoli made a nice stop on a ball that exploded on him up the first base line.
End 1st, 0-0: Kevin Gausman flashed his immense potential in the first inning.
Gausman struck out Daniel Nava and David Ortiz as part of a scoreless frame. Both Red Sox hitters went down swinging against the talented, young hurler.
Dustin Pedroia was disposed of via a routine ground ball to shortstop Ryan Flaherty.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Brandon Workman navigated through some trouble while spinning a scoreless first frame.
Jemile Weeks walked with one out and advanced to second base when Ryan Flaherty followed with a hot-shot single back up the middle.
Workman escaped the inning by retiring Steve Pearce on a popup in foul territory and striking out Steve Clevenger. Workman painted the outside corner with a fastball to sit down Clevenger.
7:07 p.m.: Brandon Workman delivers his first pitch, and the Red Sox and Orioles have gotten things underway at JetBlue Park.
6:45 p.m.: Before diving into Game 2, let’s briefly go over what transpired in Game 1.
Will Middlebrooks and Bryce Brentz both went yard in Boston’s 7-3 loss. Middlebrooks’ home run was his first of spring training, while Brentz’s blast was his third.
The Red Sox’s offense couldn’t do much against Orioles starter Bud Norris, though. Norris held the Red Sox to just two hits in three shutout innings while striking out four.
Henry Owens went 2 1/3 innings for the Red Sox, giving up three earned runs on five hits and two walks. The O’s later torched Alex Wilson for four runs in the sixth inning to seize control.
5:20 p.m.: The Orioles’ starting lineup is below.
David Lough, CF
Jemile Weeks, 2B
Ryan Flaherty, SS
Steve Pearce, 1B
Steve Clevenger, C
Nolan Reimold, LF
Henry Urrutia, RF
Johnny Monell, DH
Michael Almanzar, 3B
Kevin Gausman, RHP
4:40 p.m. ET: It’s a great day in Florida. Let’s play two.
The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles kicked off Saturday’s split-squad action with a battle in Sarasota. The O’s earned a 7-3 victory in Game 1, but the Red Sox will deploy a starter-stacked lineup for Game 2 in Fort Myers.
The Red Sox’s lineup for Game 2 is below.
Daniel Nava, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Jonny Gomes, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Corey Brown, CF
Jonathan Herrera, 3B
Brandon Workman, RHP
The Sox and O’s will kick off the nightcap of their split-squad day at 7:05 p.m. Be sure to stick around with NESN.com throughout the evening for updates left and right.
