Final, Red Sox 8-6: The Red Sox prevailed, but the Orioles certainly did not go down without a fight.
Baltimore brought in five runs in the ninth inning, including two from a double by top Orioles prospect Jonathan Schoop.
But it wasn’t enough. The Red Sox’s Christian Walker finished strong with a strikeout to end the game.
Aside from the Orioles’ ninth inning comeback, the Sox pitchers proved effective on Sunday. Manager John Farrell followed up Felix Doubront’s two clean innings by rotating through eight relief pitchers to maintain the upper hand defensively.
The Sox exhibited consistent offense throughout Sunday’s matchup as well, with Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. tallying two hits each. Ryan Lavarnway was also at the top of his game, saving several wild pitches in the later innings and scoring the first of the Sox’s three eighth-inning runs.
The Red Sox are set to face the Pittsburgh Pirates at McKechnie Field on Monday.
End 8th, Red Sox 8-1: T.J. McFarland could not follow up his seventh inning strikeout, giving up three runs to the Sox in the eighth.
McFarland opened the inning by walking Ryan Lavarnway. With the bases loaded, Brandon Snyder drilled a ground ball that bounced off McFarland’s glove into shortstop territory, which sent Lavarnway home to make the game 6-1.
Travis Shaw sustained the Sox’s hitting streak by knocking the ball off the left field wall to bring in two more runs before the inning was over.
Mid 8th, Red Sox 5-1:Â The Orioles couldn’t regain momentum in the top of the eighth.
The Red Sox recorded another 1-2-3 inning, retiring Mike Yastrzemski, Delmon Young, and Steve Pearce.
End 7th, Red Sox 5-1: The Sox had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but they were robbed of a run when Baltimore replaced right-hander Fabio Castillo with T.J. McFarland.
McFarland struck out Garin Cecchini for the inning’s final out.
Mid 7th, Red Sox 5-1:Â Right-hander Noe Ramirez held steady against the Orioles, preventing any further runs from being scored.
End 6th, Red Sox 5-1: Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. teamed up to score yet another run for the Red Sox.
Bogaerts’ outstanding speed allowed him to make it to second on his leadoff line drive to center field.
Bradley Jr. sent Bogaerts home by grounding a breaking ball far out to the middle for a base hit.
Bryce Brentz concluded the inning with a strikeout, but the Red Sox claimed a 5-1 lead over the Orioles in the sixth.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 4-1: In a team effort, the Orioles finally put themselves on the board in the sixth against pitcher Miguel Celestino.
Francisco Peguero grounded toward second in what looked like an easy out, but the Red Sox’s second baseman Heiker Meneses picked up an error when he could not hold onto the ball. Mike Yastrzemski then pinch ran for Peguero at first.
Steve Pearce drove a base hit to left field that pushed Yastrzemski to second. Celestino walked Nolan Reimhold, leaving the bases loaded for Steve Clevenger.
Clevenger sent the ball to right field, allowing Yastrzemski to score the Orioles’ first run of the game.
Ivan DeJesus hit softly to Middlebrooks to end the inning, but the Orioles are starting to show some fight.
End 5th, Red Sox 4-0: The Red Sox extended their lead to four runs with powerful hits from Jackie Bradley Jr., Bryce Brentz, and Jonny Gomes.
Jackie Bradley Jr. put a charge into a fly ball to left field and ran comfortably to second base. Eduardo Rodriguez delivered a wild pitch to Bryce Brentz that advanced Bradley Jr. to third. Brentz then brought Bradley Jr. home with a line drive single to center field.
The Orioles seemed to struggle with the bright Florida sun as well, as they failed to snag Jonny Gomes’ deep hit to left center field. Gomes landed at first, while Brentz moved to third.
David Ortiz hit a soft chopper to second base, but it was enough to allow Brentz to score the Sox’s second run of the inning.
Francisco Peguero caught Mike Napoli’s fly ball to right field to end the inning.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 2-0: LHP Tommy Layne pitched a 1-2-3 inning, including a strikeout looking for Julio Borbon.
The Orioles remain scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth.
End 4th, Red Sox 2-0: Eduardo Rodriguez stepped in as the third Orioles’ pitcher of the game, but he could not strike out Mike Napoli, who put the Red Sox on the board with a two-run homer that brought in David Ortiz.
The Orioles improved their defense in the latter part of the frame, with Ivan DeJesus throwing out Will Middlebrooks’ grounder to short.
David Ross ended the inning with a strikeout, but the Red Sox did some definite damage to Baltimore in the fourth.
Mid 4th, 0-0:Â Right-hander Alex Wilson took the mound for Boston, as the Fort Myers sun began to effect the fielders’ ability to see the ball.
Francisco Peguero hit a commanding line drive to first, but Mike Napoli completed an amazing jump-catch for the first out of the inning.
Delmon Young’s off-the-wall slam toward center field was ruled a double.
Jonny Gomes had trouble seeing Steve Pearce’s launch to left field, which put Pearce at second and pushed Young to third.
Steve Clevenger struck out, leaving two men on in scoring position as the teams switched sides.
End 3rd, 0-0: The scoreboard remains empty after three innings.
Bryce Brentz and Jonny Gomes popped to the outfield for the first two outs.
Dustin Pedroia grounded towards the Orioles’ pitcher, who scooped and threw to first, leaving the Red Sox without a single hit in the third.
Mid 3rd, 0-0: After two solid innings by Felix Doubront, Edward Mujica took over the mound for Boston in the third.
Julio Borbon sent a chopper to the right side and was thrown out by Dustin Pedroia.
Michael Almanzar drilled one to shortstop, but Xander Bogaerts came in for the catch.
Jemile Weeks slammed one toward right field, but the Sox blocked his offering and ended the top half.
End 2nd, 0-0:Â The Red Sox wasted Xander Bogaerts’ lead off hit.
Bogaerts drove the ball sharply to shallow center and trotted to first base as Julio Borbon failed to make the catch.
Will Middlebrooks and David Ross both popped out. Jackie Bradley Jr. ended the inning with a grounder to second that was easily handled by Jemile Weeks.
Mid 2nd, 0-0:Â Felix Doubront continued to impress by throwing more strikes in the second inning.
Nolan Reimold hit a bouncing chopper to first. Mike Napoli struggled to handle the ball, but Doubront sprinted to first to secure the out.
Steve Clevenger flied to shallow center, where Jackie Bradley Jr. rushed in for the catch.
Ivan DeJesus Jr. marked Doubront’s third strikeout of the game.
End 1st, 0-0: Brian Matusz did not strike out anyone in the first.
Francisco Peguero had no problem catching leadoff hitter Jonny Gomes’ pop up to shallow right field.
Dustin Pedroia slammed one to left field for a single, but he would not advance. David Ortiz followed by popping out to center, and Mike Napoli’s gentle hit to third gave Michael Almanzar plenty of time to toss to first for the end of the inning.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Felix Doubront quickly retired Jemile Weeks and Francisco Peguero, staying consistently ahead in the strike count.
Designated hitter Delmon Young lined to Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field, delivering a base hit. But it would be the Orioles’ only active hit in the inning, as Steve Pearce grounded to deep third and was immediately thrown out by Will Middlebrooks at first to end the top half.
1:09 p.m.: Felix Doubront offers a first-pitch strike to Jemile Weeks. We’re underway at sunny JetBlue Park. The temperature is 81 degrees.
12:39 p.m.: NESN’s Don Orsillo tweeted that Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski is “in the house” at JetBlue Park today. Yaz is likely in attendance because his grandson, Mike Yastrzemski, is expected to be in the Orioles’ dugout this afternoon. But don’t worry, according to Orsillo’s photo, the elder Yaz is dressed in Red.
11:45 a.m. ET: After losing their first two official spring training games to the Minnesota Twins, the Red Sox are hungry for a win against Baltimore this afternoon at JetBlue Park. Today’s Sox lineup is mostly regulars but features rookie Bryce Brentz batting ninth. Brentz scored one of the Sox’s two runs with his homer against the Twins on Friday.
Sunday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox
Jonny Gomes, LF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
David Ross, C
Jackie Bradley Jr, CF
Bryce Brentz, RF
Felix Doubront, LHP
Baltimore Orioles
Jemile Weeks, 2B
Francisco Peguero, RF
Delmon Young, DH
Steve Pearce, 1B
Nolan Reimold, LF
Steve Clevenger, C
Ivan DeJesus Jr, SS
Julio Borbon, CF
Michael Almanzar, 3B
Brian Matusz, LHP
Sunday’s action is scheduled to kick off at 1:05 p.m., so be sure to check back with NESN.com throughout the morning/afternoon for live updates from Fort Myers.
