Final, Red Sox 4-2: Koji Uehara shut the door in the ninth inning.
The Red Sox rebounded from a series-opening loss to earn a 4-2 victory Saturday in the second game of Boston’s four-game set against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.
Felix Doubront pitched very well for Boston despite not factoring into the decision. The left-hander struggled in the first inning but settled into a groove to provide 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball. Doubront struck out seven and walked two.
The big hit was delivered by Brock Holt in the seventh inning. Holt, who was recalled from Triple-A on Friday, broke a 2-2 tie with an RBI triple into the right-center field gap. Jonathan Herrera added to the Red Sox’s lead with a perfectly executed safety squeeze.
Perhaps Saturday’s victory will give the Red Sox some momentum. The benches cleared in the seventh inning following an incident involving David Ross and Orioles starter Bud Norris, so there was no shortage of emotion at Fenway Park.
Jake Peavy and Ubaldo Jimenez will square off Sunday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
End 8th, Red Sox 4-2: The Red Sox were unable to add to their lead in the eighth inning despite a one-out single from Dustin Pedroia.
Koji Uehara will enter with a two-run lead.
Mid 8th, Red Sox 4-2: Junichi Tazawa, who recorded the final out of the seventh inning, tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Tazawa retired Adam Jones, Chris Davis, and Nelson Cruz in the eighth. Jones flied out, Davis struck out, and Cruz grounded out.
The Red Sox now are three outs away from what would be a nice — perhaps momentum-capturing — win.
End 7th, Red Sox 4-2: Brock Holt was called up Friday in an attempt to spark the bottom of the Red Sox’s order. He’s done his job quite nicely.
David Ross struck out after the brief bench-clearing incident in the seventh inning, but Holt quickly turned the tide in Boston’s favor by lining an RBI triple into the right-center field gap.
Holt scored from third base when Jonathan Herrera dropped down a good bunt on a perfectly executed safety squeeze.
3:49 p.m., 2-2: The benches briefly cleared at Fenway Park, though no punches were thrown.
David Ross tried to drop down a sacrifice bunt after Mike Carp led off the seventh inning with a walk. Bud Norris went up and in around Ross’ head twice in the at-bat.
Ross and Norris exchanged words, at which point catcher Matt Wieters intervened. The benches then cleared, and everyone converged and stood around near home plate.
Mid 7th, 2-2: Felix Doubront won’t factor into the decision.
Doubront was lifted in the seventh inning after issuing a two-out walk. Junichi Tazawa entered and needed just one pitch to retire Delmon Young on a fly ball to Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field.
Doubront pitched well, surrendering just two earned runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two while throwing 107 pitches (70 strikes).
End 6th, 2-2:Â Dustin Pedroia tried to get something going for the Red Sox in the sixth inning.
Pedroia drilled a line drive into the gap and hustled his way to a double. Pedey hit the dirt with a head-first dive to complete the one-out knock.
The inning didn’t materialize the way Boston hoped, though. David Ortiz flied out to center field, and Mike Napoli struck out looking on a pitch the slugger undoubtedly wasn’t a fan of.
Napoli slammed his helmet down in disgust before returning to the Red Sox’s dugout following the called third strike.
Mid 6th, 2-2: Before this year, the Red Sox would have escaped the sixth inning with a one-run lead. But because of MLB’s new expanded instant replay, the Orioles had a huge call overturned.
The Red Sox flashed some leather at the beginning of the sixth inning. Nick Markakis singled but was quickly wiped off the bases when Delmon Young grounded into a 1-6-3 double play. Felix Doubront first made a nice play to field it cleanly, and Jonathan Herrera then made an excellent play to leap over Markakis while delivering a strike to first.
Doubront fell into some two-out trouble, though. Adam Jones smoked a double into the left field corner, and he swiped third base with Chris Davis at the dish. Davis ended up walking.
The Red Sox thought they were out of the inning after a bang-bang play at first base. Brock Holt fielded a high chopper at deep third and tossed a one-hopper to Mike Napoli seemingly to record the final out. Orioles manager Buck Showalter challenged that Nelson Cruz was safe at first base, though, and the initial call was overturned, resulting in a run.
End 5th, Red Sox 2-1: Bud Norris followed Felix Doubont’s six-pitch inning with a nine-pitch inning. That’s a total of just 15 pitches thrown in the fifth inning, for all you non-mathematicians out there.
Norris retired the bottom third of the Red Sox’s order in the fifth.
Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out to end the inning. He fouled a 2-2 offering into Matt Wieters’ mitt.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 2-1: Felix Doubront needed just six pitches to work a scoreless fifth inning.
Doubront struck out J.J. Hardy to begin the fifth. Doubront put the shortstop away with an 0-2 curveball in the dirt.
Jonathan Schoop popped out, and Steve Lombardozzi lined out to Jackie Bradley Jr. in left-center field on a play the center fielder made look easier than it was.
End 4th, Red Sox 2-1: David Ortiz put the Red Sox ahead in the fourth inning with a solo home run right down the right field line.
Bud Norris dialed it up to 95 mph on a 3-2 fastball, but Ortiz decided it had reservations for the right field seats. He ripped it well into the stands for his third home run of the season.
Mike Napoli followed Ortiz’s blast with a single into left-center field, but Mike Carp grounded into his second double play of the game.
David Ross popped out to first baseman Chris Davis in foul territory to end the inning.
Ortiz’s home run was the 434th of his career, tying him with three others for 42nd place on the all-time home run list.
Mid 4th, 1-1: Felix Doubront had no trouble in the fourth inning, and he really has found a rhythm.
Chris Davis, Nelson Cruz, and Matt Wieters went down in order against the lefty in the fourth.
Doubront struck out Wieters to cap the 1-2-3 inning.
End 3rd, 1-1: Bud Norris enjoyed another quick, 1-2-3 inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr., Grady Sizemore, and Dustin Pedroia went down in order, with Sizemore’s at-bat being the toughest.
Sizemore saw 11 pitches in the third inning. He finally lifted a 3-2 slider into left field, where Nelson Cruz put it away for the second out.
Sizemore is batting .172 with a .194 on-base percentage since April 10.
Mid 3rd, 1-1: Felix Doubront has retired the last seven batters he’s faced.
The Red Sox backed up Doubront with some good defense in the third inning after the left-hander struck out Nick Markakis.
Delmon Young hit a soft ground ball to the left side that Brock Holt grabbed and fired across the diamond on the run.
Adam Jones gave one a ride toward Pesky’s Pole, where Grady Sizemore made the catch before bumping into the right field wall.
End 2nd, 1-1: Both pitchers settled down in the second, as Bud Norris followed Felix Doubront’s perfect inning with a 1-2-3 frame of his own.
Norris struck out David Ross and Brock Holt. Ross waved at a 94 mph fastball, and Holt went down hacking at a slider down and in.
Jonathan Herrera popped out into shallow left field to end the inning.
Mid 2nd, 1-1: Felix Doubront settled down in the second inning.
Doubront easily handled the bottom third of the Orioles’ order. He induced two ground balls and struck out Jonathan Schoop looking.
Brock Holt made a good defensive play on Steve Lombardozzi’s ground ball to third base with two outs. Holt charged in to corral it before firing across the diamond.
Holt has provided solid defense since being called up before Friday’s game.
End 1st, 1-1: The Red Sox received a gift in the first inning.
Dustin Pedroia walked on eight pitches after Grady Sizemore struck out to begin the inning. Pedey went racing from first to third when David Ortiz planted a line drive off the Green Monster for a long single.
Holding Ortiz to a single almost proved big, as Mike Napoli hit a high chopper to third base that might have resulted in an inning-ending double play with a clean turn. Third baseman Jonathan Schoop couldn’t handle it, though, and everyone reached their intended destination — including Pedroia, who scored from third.
Mike Carp couldn’t build on the threat. He grounded into a 6-4-3 double play moments after the Red Sox tied the game.
Mid 1st, Orioles 1-0:Â The Orioles jumped on Felix Doubront for a run in the first inning.
Nick Markakis led off Friday’s game with a controversial double. Markakis’ first-inning single Saturday was far less controversial, but it still was productive.
Markakis stole second base as Delmon Young struck out swinging, and he scored when Nelson Cruz yanked a single into left field.
1:37 p.m.: Felix Doubront tosses a first-pitch strike. Let’s enjoy some baseball.
12:12 p.m.: Will Middlebrooks, who currently is on the disabled list with a calf strain, worked out on the field before Saturday’s game.
John Farrell labeled Saturday a “big day” in Middlebrooks’ progression, as the third baseman could begin a rehab assignment Monday or Tuesday if all goes well.
Shane Victorino, who hasn’t played yet this season because of a hamstring strain, will begin his rehab assignment Saturday at Triple-A Pawtucket. The plan is for him to play right field and get three at-bats Saturday. Victorino also is expected to play with Pawtucket on Monday and Tuesday, and he could rejoin the big league club after that if everything goes smoothly.
12 p.m.: Xander Bogaerts is out of the Red Sox’s lineup for the first time this season. According to manager John Farrell, it’s just a routine off-day for the young shortstop.
Bogaerts certainly has played well offensively of late. The 21-year-old has reached in 10 of 16 plate appearances over his last three games, and his on-base percentage sits at a team-best .411.
Brock Holt (third base) and Jonathan Herrera (shortstop) will man the left side of Boston’s infield in Bogaerts’ absence. They’ll bat seventh and eighth, respectively, with Jackie Bradley Jr. rounding out the order.
Saturday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (7-10)
Grady Sizemore, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Mike Carp, LF
David Ross, C
Brock Holt, 3B
Jonathan Herrera, SS
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Felix Doubront, LHP (1-2, 6.75 ERA)
Baltimore Orioles (8-7)
Nick Markakis, RF
Delmon Young, DH
Adam Jones, CF
Chris Davis, 1B
Nelson Cruz, LF
Matt Wieters, C
J.J. Hardy, SS
Jonathan Schoop, 3B
Steve Lombardozzi, 2B
Bud Norris, RHP (0-1, 3.75 ERA)
11:30 a.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox again are tasked with righting the ship after a loss.
The Red Sox dropped Friday’s series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park, marking the fifth time in six series this season Boston has dropped the opening game. Felix Doubront will look to get the Sox back on track Saturday.
Doubront’s three starts have been a mixed bag, which really is a microcosm of his career to this point. Doubront won his first start, got shelled in his second start, and then pitched well in a losing effort in his third start. The left-hander, who enters the game with a 6.75 ERA, will go up against Bud Norris, whom the Orioles acquired prior to last season’s trade deadline.
Norris, who enters with a 3.75 ERA in two starts, has faced the Red Sox three times in his career. The 29-year-old owns a 4.15 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in those three outings.
Saturday marks Fan Photo Day at Fenway Park, and it’s already a great turnout. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1:35 p.m. Catch the action on NESN, and follow along with NESN.com’s live blog.
