Final, Orioles 7-6: The Red Sox’s ninth-inning rally fell just short.
Dustin Pedroia nearly tied the game with a two-run homer after Brock Holt reached on an infield single. His deep fly ball to left field plunked high off the Monster, though, setting up second and third with one out.
The Orioles walked David Ortiz with first base open to face Mike Napoli. Napoli knocked in Boston’s sixth run with a softly hit ground ball to second base.
Mike Carp, who pinch-hit for Jonny Gomes in the eighth inning, grounded to first base to end the game, leaving the potential tying run at third base and the potential winning run at second base.
The Red Sox trailed 6-0 in Monday’s series finale, but Boston again showed fight. The bullpen, particularly Burke Badenhop (3 2/3 scoreless innings), was solid and the Red Sox had a chance to pull out their second walk-off win in a matter of hours. They just ran out of magic.
Clay Buchholz was touched up Monday, allowing six earned runs on seven hits. It’s been a rough start to the year for him, which doesn’t bode well for the Red Sox, who fell to 9-11 with Monday’s loss.
The Red Sox now will welcome Jacoby Ellsbury and the Yankees to Fenway Park for a three-game series. Jon Lester and Masahiro Tanaka will square off in Tuesday’s series opener, which is scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m.
Mid 9th, Orioles 7-5: Andrew Miller, pitching for the second time in less than 24 hours, took care of business in the ninth.
Miller retired the side in order to keep Boston’s deficit at two runs.
Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt and Dustin Pedroia are due up for Boston in the bottom of the ninth.
End 8th, Orioles 7-5: Mike Napoli swatted a solo homer to bring the Red Sox back to within two. But Boston certainly had bigger ideas before its rally was stymied by a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play.
Xander Bogaerts singled into left field with one out, and Daniel Nava finally caught a break. Nava, who has struggled this season despite making some decent contact, hit a comebacker that deflected off pitcher Darren O’Day’s glove.
Jonathan Herrera was called upon to pinch-hit for David Ross with one out and runners at first and second. That’s when Orioles manager Buck Showalter turned to lefty Brian Matusz.
Matusz struck out Herrera on seven pitches for the second out. Nava took off from first base with the count full, but Bogaerts didn’t appear to take off for third. Bogaerts got hung up between the bags and was tagged out.
Mid 8th, Orioles 7-4: The Orioles grabbed the run right back in the seventh inning.
The Red Sox nearly turned another double play after Steve Clevenger followed Adam Jones’ leadoff single with a ground ball to second base. Xander Bogaerts’ throw to first base was off the mark, though, and Clevenger reached.
Clevenger took second base on a deep fly ball to center field and scored when Ryan Flaherty blooped a single. Flaherty was thrown out at second base, but the Orioles’ lead is back at three runs.
End 7th, Orioles 6-4: David Ross pulled the Red Sox to within two with a solo homer in the seventh inning.
Ross sent a 2-1 offering into the Monster seats for his first home run of 2014. Red Sox DJ T.J. Connelly marked the occasion by playing Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4.”
The Red Sox kept pressing in the seventh, as Brock Holt singled and Dustin Pedroia walked on four pitches with two outs. But David Ortiz ripped a ground ball right into the shift to end the inning.
Mid 7th, Orioles 6-3: Craig Breslow still hasn’t allowed an earned run since being activated off the disabled list April 9.
Breslow maneuvered around a two-out walk to work a scoreless seventh inning. Nelson Cruz was the only man to reach.
The Red Sox went into a shift with Chris Davis at the dish, and the slugger played right into Boston’s hands. Third baseman Brock Holt ranged over and made a play on the other side of second base before firing on the run to complete the inning-ending out.
End 6th, Orioles 6-3: Ryan Webb made quick work of the Red Sox in the sixth inning after five frames from starter Wei-Yin Chen.
Webb struck out Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes and Xander Bogaerts.
Napoli and Bogaerts went down swinging. Gomes didn’t offer at a 2-2 slider that looked like a pretty good pitch after Webb tried to put him away with a slider in the dirt the pitch prior.
Craig Breslow will pitch the seventh inning for Boston after 3 2/3 awesome innings from Burke Badenhop.
Mid 6th, Orioles 6-3: Excellent work by Burke Badenhop to stop the bleeding in this game following Clay Buchholz’s rocky start.
Badenhop enjoyed another scoreless inning in the sixth, and he now has tossed 3 2/3 scoreless frames. Buchholz lasted just 2 1/3 innings before getting yanked.
The Red Sox will try to carry the offensive momentum they built in the fifth inning into the sixth inning. Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes and Xander Bogaerts are due up for Boston.
End 5th, Orioles 6-3: It ain’t over yet, McGavin. The way I see it, we’ve only just begun.
The Red Sox struck for three runs in the fifth inning to cut their deficit in half. We suddenly have a ballgame at Fenway Park.
The key in the fifth was the Red Sox’s ability to make Wei-Yin Chen work. It’s an approach that has worked time and time again for Boston, and the Sox deserve credit for sticking to their game plan.
Xander Bogaerts walked and Daniel Nava reached on a single into the hole. David Ross grounded into a forceout that set up runners at the corners for Jackie Bradley Jr.
Bradley put the Red Sox on the scoreboard with a line drive down the right field line that resulted in a ground-rule double. Brock Holt produced a sacrifice fly, and Dustin Pedroia cut into Baltimore’s lead even more with an RBI double into left field.
Mid 5th, Orioles 6-0: Burke Badenhop has induced a double play in each inning he’s pitched.
Badenhop survived a leadoff walk to Chris Davis to toss a scoreless fifth inning. He now has spun 2 2/3 scoreless frames since taking over for Clay Buchholz in the third.
Adam Jones struck out for the first out, and Steve Clevenger grounded back to the mound, where Badenhop started a 1-6-3 double play.
End 4th, Orioles 6-0: The Red Sox produced their first hit in the fourth inning. Baby steps, baby steps.
David Ortiz followed Dustin Pedroia’s leadoff walk with a single into right field. Ortiz, who ripped a first-pitch single in Boston’s seventh-inning rally Sunday, jumped on the first pitch he saw from Wei-Yin Chen in the fourth inning.
The Red Sox couldn’t build any momentum, though. Mike Napoli struck out, and Jonny Gomes lined to short, where Ryan Flaherty made the catch and stepped on second for an unassisted double play.
Mid 4th, Orioles 6-0: Burke Badenhop induced his second double play since entering the game. It ended the fourth inning.
Steve Lombardozzi kicked things off with a single into right field, and Nick Markakis — who has really been hearing it from one group of fans, for whatever reason — walked to increase the threat.
Nelson Cruz grounded into the inning-ending double play.
The Boston Marathon results were shown on the Fenway Park scoreboard, at which point the crowd went nuts and gave a standing ovation for the American winner. So, that was pretty cool, at least.
End 3rd, Orioles 6-0: The Red Sox are struggling to hit the ball out of the infield, while also struggling to keep the Orioles in the infield.
It’s a dangerous combination for Boston.
David Ross, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brock Holt went down in order in the third inning. Ross and Bradley both struck out.
Mid 3rd, Orioles 6-0: Maybe sleeping at Fenway Park didn’t help.
Clay Buchholz got absolutely shelled in the third inning, and the Red Sox already are into their bullpen while trailing 6-0.
Buchholz surrendered six runs on seven hits in the third inning before John Farrell saw enough. Baltimore produced five consecutive singles to begin the inning before Buchholz even recorded an out.
Steve Lombardozzi and David Lough began the third inning with base hits to center field and right field, respectively. Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis then each collected an RBI single.
Buchholz finally recorded an out when Adam Jones grounded into a 6-4 forceout, although even then a run scored for the O’s.
Buchholz was yanked after Steve Clevenger doubled into the left field corner and Jonathan Schoop singled, resulting in two more runs.
Burke Badenhop took over and induced an inning-ending double play. But yikes.
Buchholz, who surrendered a career-high 13 hits against the Yankees in his first start of the season, again was kicked around in this one. He was charged with six earned runs on seven hits over 2 1/3 innings. Buchholz struck out one, walked one and threw 55 pitches (34 strikes).
End 2nd, 0-0: Wei-Yin Chen enjoyed a quick, 1-2-3 second inning.
Jonny Gomes and Daniel Nava sandwiched Xander Bogaerts’ flyout with a pair of strikeouts.
Gomes, who saw eight pitches, foul tipped a 3-2 fastball into catcher Steve Clevenger’s mitt. Nava saw just three pitches and fanned on a 91 mph fastball.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: Clay Buchholz worked a very efficient second inning.
Buchholz needed just eight pitches to induce three ground ball outs.
Steve Clevenger, Jonathan Schoop and Ryan Flaherty all put the ball on the ground.
End 1st, 0-0: Dustin Pedroia just loves throwing equipment at the Orioles.
No, I’m kidding. But Pedroia, who unintentionally threw his helmet in catcher Matt Wieters’ direction amid Sunday’s celebration, lost a grip on his bat in the first inning of this one. Pedey’s lumber landed out near third baseman Jonathan Schoop, who needed to dance out of the way.
Pedroia ended up grounding to short, marking Boston’s second ground ball out of the inning.
David Ortiz walked, but Wei-Yin Chen bounced back to retire Mike Napoli on a forceout.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Perhaps sleeping over at Fenway Park helped.
Clay Buchholz began his morning with a scoreless first inning. The right-hander worked around a two-out walk to get the job done.
Buchholz struck out Nelson Cruz on a nasty offering that really dipped out of the strike zone. Cruz, of course, has had success against the Red Sox this season, drilling three long balls.
Chris Davis worked the walk, but Jonny Gomes robbed Adam Jones to end the inning. Gomes, who sparked the Red Sox with his bat Sunday, laid out to make a diving catch in left-center field.
11:09 a.m.: Morning baseball has begun.
10:50 a.m.: It’s worth noting that Clay Buchholz, John Lackey and Mike Napoli actually slept over at Fenway Park on Sunday night because of the extremely short turnaround.
Manager John Farrell, on the other hand, opted not to stick around.
“No I didn’t,” Farrell said smiling. “I have my own sleeping room.”
10:34 a.m.: John Farrell was asked Monday about facing Masahiro Tanaka for the first time in the Red Sox’s upcoming series against the New York Yankees. The Sox skipper said he’s looking forward to seeing the Japanese ace.
10:20 a.m.: Brock Holt will become the Red Sox’s fifth leadoff hitter in 20 games.
John Farrell said Monday he’s been impressed by Holt’s at-bats to this point, particularly because of the “relentlessness” the infielder has showed in just three games back with the major league club. Holt joins Grady Sizemore, Dustin Pedroia, Daniel Nava and Jonny Gomes in having hit atop Boston’s order this season.
Mike Napoli, who was drilled in the knee in the ninth inning Sunday, will be in the Red Sox’s lineup. The first baseman is dealing with some soreness, but he’s ready to go.
Monday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (9-10)
Brock Holt, 3B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jonny Gomes, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Daniel Nava, RF
David Ross, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Clay Buchholz, RHP (0-1, 5.51 ERA)
Baltimore Orioles (8-9)
Nick Markakis, DH
Nelson Cruz, RF
Chris Davis 1B
Adam Jones, CF
Steve Clevenger, C
Jonathan Schoop, 3B
Ryan Flaherty, SS
Steve Lombardozzi, 2B
David Lough, LF
Wei-Yin Chen, RHP (2-1, 4.76 ERA)
10:15 a.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles on Sunday played nine intense innings, went home (some of them), took a nap and now will play at least nine more innings merely hours later.
The Red Sox earned a dramatic walk-off win over the Orioles on Sunday in a game that wrapped up a little before 11 p.m. The two teams will return to the diamond Monday for an 11:05 a.m. Patriots’ Day showdown.
It’s a crazy turnaround, clearly, but don’t expect to hear either squad complaining about it. The two teams seem to recognize its the hand they’ve been dealt, and Red Sox manager John Farrell said before Monday’s contest his club is prepared to play despite the lack of sleep.
“The game goes on,” Farrell said Monday morning. “And we’ll be there, I can’t say with bells on, but we’ll be ready to go.”
Clay Buchholz and Wei-Yin Chen will square off on the first Marathon Monday since last April’s horrific Boston Marathon bombing. It should be another emotional day at Fenway Park, although the organization already honored — and quite impressively — the victims and first responders of last year’s attack with a moving pregame ceremony Sunday.
The Red Sox have won four of their last five games and appear to be finding a rhythm. Follow along as Buchholz and Co. look to continue riding the momentum against the O’s.
