It’s Mookie Betts’ world, and the rest of baseball is just living in it.
The Red Sox right fielder hit two more home runs and powered Boston to a 5-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Tuesday. His second homer came at the perfect time, too, as the Red Sox had just blown a three-run lead in the previous frame after another shaky performance from the bullpen.
Let’s take a look at how the game unfolded.
GAME IN A WORD
Mookie. Betts.
OK, so it’s two words, but there’s simply no other way to describe this one. Betts continued to destroy opposing pitchers, as he provided all of the Red Sox’s offense with two more home runs.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Yes, Betts did all the work offensively, but the Orioles already had come back once. However, Kimbrel made sure that didn’t happen again.
ON THE BUMP
— Eduardo Rodriguez was dominant through the first four innings. He had a no-hitter going, and his only blemish was a walk in the second inning.
But in a shocking turn of events in the fifth inning, Rodriguez was taken out of the game just two pitches in due to left hamstring tightness. He had seven strikeouts and just the one walk on 62 pitches in four-plus innings.
— Matt Barnes came on in relief and kept the no-hitter going, as he allowed zero hits, runs or walks while striking out two in his first two innings. But he ran into a bit of trouble in the seventh when he walked Mark Trumbo and allowed the Orioles’ first hit of the game to Steve Pearce on an infield single.
— The Red Sox then turned to Fernando Abad, who walked Chris Davis on four pitches and surrendered a two-RBI single to Matt Wieters.
–Abad got the quick hook in favor of Brad Ziegler, but he didn’t fare much better. Ziegler did start off his appearance with a strikeout of J.J. Hardy, but the next two batters reached on a single and walk, which tied the game 3-3. He did limit the damage, though, with a bases-loaded strikeout.
— Ziegler got the first two outs of the eighth inning, and Robbie Ross Jr. finished the job by striking out Chris Davis.
— Kimbrel earned his 21st save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox had a golden opportunity to take an early lead in the top of the third inning when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Mookie Betts flew out to right field.
— But Betts made up for that and then some in the top of the fifth inning when he hit a three-run blast to left field. He drove in Andrew Benintendi (double) and Xander Boagerts (walk).
— Betts was far from done, though. The right fielder blasted his second home run of the game in the eighth inning, which put Boston up 5-3 after Baltimore rallied to tie the game in the seventh. Betts now leads the Red Sox in home runs with 28.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Nice catch, ump.
UP NEXT
Boston wraps up its short two-game series in Baltimore on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. David Price is scheduled to take the mound for the Red Sox opposite Chris Tillman.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
