Will the Boston Red Sox go from sweep to swept?
The Red Sox capped their recent 5-2 homestand with a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics. That momentum evidently didn’t make it onto the plane to Baltimore, though, as the Sox are in jeopardy of being swept by the Orioles after suffering a 5-2 loss Wednesday at Camden Yards.
GAME IN A WORD
Muzzled.
Every time the Red Sox made some noise, the Orioles slapped a muzzle on the momentum. The O’s responded to both of Boston’s runs by producing their own offense in the ensuing half innings.
The Red Sox scored in the top of the third to cut the Orioles’ lead in half. Baltimore scored in the bottom of the inning.
The Red Sox scored again in the top of the sixth to pull within one run. Baltimore pushed across two runs in the bottom of the frame to build a 5-2 lead that stood up.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The Orioles scored two runs and knocked Rick Porcello from the game in the sixth inning.
Porcello, who wasn’t his best after the first inning, surrendered three consecutive singles to Chris Davis, Delmon Young and Travis Snider to open the sixth. Snider’s RBI single plated Davis.
J.J. Hardy’s sacrifice fly gave Baltimore its fifth run. Tommy Layne entered and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to minimize the damage, but the deficit already was too much for Boston to overcome.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello’s first inning was not a sign of things to come.
Porcello fanned Manny Machado, Jimmy Paredes and Adam Jones to open his 12th start in a Red Sox uniform. He recorded only two more K’s the rest of the way while allowing five earned runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Porcello, who tossed eight innings of two-run ball in his last start despite suffering a hard-luck loss, saw his ERA jump to 5.26. He simply couldn’t hold down the Orioles each time the Red Sox threatened.
— Layne continues to thrive in Boston’s bullpen.
The left-hander struck out both hitters he faced in the sixth inning. He’s now retired the first batter he’s faced in each of his last 18 appearances. He’s stranded 12 of 13 inherited runners this season.
— Alexi Ogando tossed two scoreless innings in which he struck out two and walked two.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox ran into two outs at second base in the second inning.
Xander Bogaerts led off with a deep drive off the center field wall. He tried to hustle his way to a double and initially was ruled safe, but Buck Showalter challenged and replays showed Hardy tagged Bogaerts in time. The call was overturned.
Pablo Sandoval followed by reaching out and poking a ball down the left field line. He, like Bogaerts, tried to hustle his way to a double. And he, like Bogaerts, was thrown out.
— Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt again swung the bat well.
Holt plated Pedroia with an RBI double down the left field line in the third inning. Pedroia then doubled in the sixth inning and advanced to third base when Holt singled into right field.
— Boston’s second run scored on what should have been an inning-ending double play.
Mike Napoli hit a ground ball just to the left of second base with runners at the corners. Hardy made the play and flipped to second baseman Ryan Flaherty for one out, but Flaherty’s relay throw to first base was in the dirt. Davis couldn’t scoop it, allowing Pedroia to score from third base.
— Bogaerts extended his hitting streak to six games with a 1-for-3 effort.
— The Red Sox’s final 12 hitters were retired.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Adam Jones. Stud.
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UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Orioles will conclude their series Thursday. Wade Miley will face Chris Tillman as Boston looks to avoid a three-game sweep before returning home to Fenway Park.
Tillman always has been a thorn in Boston’s side. The veteran right-hander is 8-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 17 career starts against the Red Sox.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
