BOSTON — The Red Sox’s starting pitching remains a crapshoot.
Joe Kelly and Clay Buchholz opened Boston’s weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles with a couple of decent starts, but Rick Porcello faltered Sunday as the O’s grabbed an 8-3 win at Fenway Park.
David Ortiz was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes. The slugger slammed his bat and threw his elbow guard in disgust, which really summed up Boston’s afternoon.
GAME IN A WORD
Frustrating.
As mentioned, Big Papi’s ejection spoke volumes. The Red Sox gained the upper hand out of the gate with a big first inning, but the bats cooled from there as the Orioles won their second straight.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
John Farrell tried to squeeze one more inning out of Porcello.
Porcello wasn’t his best, yet Farrell brought the right-hander back out for the sixth inning, in which the Orioles scored three runs to build an 8-3 lead.
Porcello plunked Caleb Joseph to begin the sixth. Everth Cabrera then dropped a bunt down the third base line that Pablo Sandoval initially planned to let go foul. Sandoval ultimately decided to scoop the ball after seeing Joseph round second base, which was a bad decision, as it looked like the baseball, which was riding the chalk, would have gone foul with just a little more patience.
Jimmy Paredes singled off Porcello to pack the bags, and Adam Jones delivered the final knockout blow in the form of a bases-clearing double. Jones’ five RBIs matched a career-high.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Hanley Ramirez produced all three of Boston’s runs with a three-run home run in the first inning.
Ramirez hit a rocket toward the Sports Authority sign located atop the Green Monster after Brock Holt singled and Ortiz walked.
— Shane Victorino, who was a late scratch Saturday, reached base twice (single, walk) in his return to the lineup.
Victorino made a defensive miscue in the third inning, when he seemingly lost the baseball in right field, paving the way for a Chris Davis double. The play didn’t cost the Red Sox, though.
— Mookie Betts, batting second with Holt leading off, went 0-for-4. He’s hitting .191, which is surprising given the number of highlight-reel moments he’s had early this season.
— Sandoval doubled off the Monster in the eighth inning. It was his first extra-base hit in a Red Sox uniform, and it came in his 52nd plate appearance with his new club.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello’s start was hands-down the worst of his Red Sox career.
Porcello, who pitched pretty well in his two previous outings with Boston, allowed eight earned runs on 12 hits over five-plus innings. He struck out six, walked three and threw 102 pitches (58 strikes).
Porcello surrendered two home runs — one to Jones in the first inning and one to Ryan Flaherty in the second inning — and now has given up five homers in 19 innings this season.
— The Red Sox really relied on Craig Breslow to ensure the bullpen wasn’t overtaxed.
Breslow tossed three scoreless frames. He struck out three, didn’t walk anyone and allowed two hits.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Everyone’s favorite day, right?
[tweet https://twitter.com/redsoxmonster/status/589877879850270720 align=’center’%5D
UP NEXT
Patriots’ Day!
The Red Sox, as they do annually, will play host at 11:05 a.m. on Marathon Monday. They’ll look to salvage a series split with the Orioles, as Baltimore has won back-to-back games since Boston’s walk-off victory in Friday’s series opener.
Justin Masterson is scheduled to face Wei-Yin Chen in Monday’s series finale.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
