Final, Orioles 8-4: Darren O’Day shut the door on Boston in the ninth inning, and the Orioles come away from Friday’s series opener with an 8-4 win over the Red Sox.
John Lackey allowed six earned runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four while throwing 100 pitches (60 strikes).
The Red Sox produced 11 hits and had some chances against Chris Tillman, who threw 122 pitches over five innings. The Orioles answered any time Boston began generating some momentum, though, and it enabled Baltimore to hold on for the win.
Jonathan Schoop had four hits, including two RBI doubles, for the O’s. Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy and Steve Lombardozzi each collected two hits for Baltimore.
Felix Doubront and Bud Norris will square off Saturday. The game’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
Mid 9th, Orioles 8-4: Jonathan Schoop produced his second RBI double in three innings.
Schoop doubled after Steve Lombardozzi singled into center field. The Orioles now will carry a four-run lead into the bottom of the ninth.
Mike Napoli, Mike Carp and Xander Bogaerts are due up for Boston.
End 8th, Orioles 7-4: The Red Sox were involved in their second review of the game in the eighth inning. This one went in Boston’s favor.
Brock Holt seemingly beat out a close play at first base but was ruled out, which brought John Farrell out of the Red Sox’s dugout. After a brief discussion, the umpires took another look at the play and ruled Holt did indeed beat Steve Lombardozzi’s throw.
It looked like Holt’s infield single — on which he showed tremendous hustle to even make it close — would spark the Red Sox’s offense. Instead, Grady Sizemore, Daniel Nava and Dustin Pedroia all put the ball on the ground to end the inning without jumping back onto the scoreboard.
Mid 8th, Orioles 7-4: Burke Badenhop stayed in for the eighth inning. He fared much better.
Badenhop retired the middle of Baltimore’s order — Chris Davis, Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz — without any issues.
The Red Sox’s offense now has some work to do.
End 7th, Orioles 7-4: Xander Bogaerts’ lined shot off the Green Monster sliced into the Orioles’ lead, though the Red Sox perhaps could have added more if a call at second base went their way.
Mike Napoli led off the bottom of the seventh with a wall-ball double. Bogaerts used the wall two batters later to drive in Boston’s fourth run.
Bogaerts used a pretty nifty slide at second base — in which he lifted one hand to seemingly avoid the tag while simultaneously sliding in his other hand — but second base umpire Ted Barrett called him out.
A.J. Pierzynski was hit by a pitch to extend the inning, but Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out to end things in the seventh.
Mid 7th, Orioles 7-3: Burke Badnehop hasn’t exactly started off on the right foot with the Red Sox.
Badenhop has struggled to begin his Boston tenure, and things didn’t get any easier for the veteran right-hander in the seventh inning. He surrendered three hits and a walk in the seventh while allowing the Orioles to extend their lead.
Baltimore’s damage came with two outs. J.J. Hardy and Steve Lombardozzi singled to set the table for Jonathan Schoop’s RBI double into the left field corner.
End 6th, Orioles 6-3: Brian Matusz took over after five innings from Orioles starter Chris Tillman.
Grady Sizemore produced a one-out single against Matusz, but the lefty closed off any potential threat right there.
Daniel Nava struck out swinging and Dustin Pedroia grounded to third base for an inning-ending, 5-4 forceout.
Mid 6th, Orioles 6-3: Andrew Miller bailed out John Lackey in the sixth inning.
Lackey came back out despite his continuous struggles in this game, and he immediately found himself in some trouble. Jonathan Schoop singled, and Delmon Young walked with one out.
John Farrell decided at that point he had seen enough, and Miller was called upon with the powerful Chris Davis stepping into the box.
Miller struck out Davis and retired Adam Jones on a 6-4 forceout.
The book officially is closed on Lackey, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture. Lackey gave up six earned runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four while throwing 100 pitches (60 strikes).
End 5th, Orioles 6-3: Getting runs has been a struggle for the Red Sox’s offense this season. Boston now has three in this contest, though, thanks to a two-run fifth inning.
Daniel Nava began the second inning with a double. Nava hustled his way into second base, perhaps providing a spark to the offense.
Dustin Pedroia gave the Red Sox their second run with a single into right field. Pedroia went up and got a high, 2-2 fastball.
Mike Napoli and Mike Carp were retired for the first two outs of the inning, but the Red Sox weren’t done. Xander Bogaerts walked — sending Pedroia to second base — and A.J. Pierzynski cut into Baltimore’s lead with a bloop single into left-center field that plated Boston’s third run.
Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out with runners on first and second to end the threat.
Mid 5th, Orioles 6-1: It just isn’t John Lackey’s night.
Lackey, who was knocked around a bit in his last start against the Yankees, has been beat up by the Orioles in this one. Baltimore scored two more runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 6-1.
Lackey recorded back-to-back strikeouts after surrendering a leadoff single, but the third out was elusive.
Nelson Cruz walked, and Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy collected back-to-back RBI singles to toss Lackey right back onto the ropes.
Burke Badenhop was warming up at the conclusion of the inning, so it’s possible Lackey’s night is done.
End 4th, Orioles 4-1: The Red Sox began chipping away in the fourth inning.
Mike Carp started the inning with a line drive off the Green Monster, leading to a leadoff double.
Xander Bogaerts and A.J. Pierzynski followed with a pair of popouts, creating a feel that Boston once again would be kept at bay.
Jackie Bradley Jr. walked with two down, though, and Brock Holt put the Red Sox on the scoreboard with an RBI single into right-center field.
Grady Sizemore had an opportunity to do some more damage with Bradley 90 feet away, but the veteran outfielder struck out swinging to end the fourth inning.
Mid 4th, Orioles 4-0: John Lackey bounced back in the fourth inning after a very rough third inning.
Steve Lombardozzi, Jonathan Schoop and Nick Markakis couldn’t build on Baltimore’s lead.
Lackey struck out Lombardozzi to begin the inning. He then retired Schoop and Markakis on a pair of fly balls to Daniel Nava in right field.
End 3rd, Orioles 4-0: The Red Sox went down without a peep in the third inning.
Daniel Nava, Dustin Pedroia and Mike Napoli were retired in order by Chris Tillman.
Nava and Napoli popped out. Pedroia flied out to left.
Mid 3rd, Orioles 4-0: The Orioles have seized control of this game.
The O’s scored three runs on four hits and a walk in the third inning to grab a 4-0 lead over John Lackey and the Red Sox.
Nick Markakis, who doubled in the first inning, connected on his second double of the game in the third inning. It knocked in Jonathan Schoop, who led off the third with a single.
Chris Davis walked and Adam Jones followed with a ground ball to the left side. Third baseman Brock Holt made a nice diving play on Jones’ grounder, but his attempt to throw out Davis at second base failed.
Nelson Cruz, who homered twice in Boston’s first series in Baltimore, dug in with the bases loaded. He delivered a two-run single to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead.
End 2nd, Orioles 1-0: The Red Sox left the bases loaded in the second inning.
Mike Carp and Xander Bogaerts got things going in the second inning with a single and a walk, respectively. Jackie Bradley Jr. added to the threat with one out by singling into right field.
Third base coach Brian Butterfield held Carp on Bradley’s single, and Orioles starter Chris Tillman buckled down when he needed to.
Tillman struck out Brock Holt, who was just recalled Friday, and retired Grady Sizemore on a fly ball to deep center field.
Mid 2nd, Orioles 1-0:Â A strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play ended the top of the second inning.
Matt Wieters worked a leadoff walk against John Lackey, but the right-hander settled down after that.
The Orioles sent Wieters with Steve Lombardozzi in a full count. Lombardozzi whiffed and Wieters had no chance of sliding safely into second base.
The O’s are just lucky Wieters didn’t get hurt, as his foot got caught in the dirt on his slide into second.
End 1st, Orioles 1-0: The Red Sox couldn’t do anything with Dustin Pedroia’s two-out walk.
Grady Sizemore grounded back to the mound to begin the bottom of the first. Chris Tillman knocked it down before completing the out at first base.
Tillman then sandwiched Pedroia’s walk with strikeouts against Daniel Nava and Mike Napoli. Nava and Napoli both went down swinging.
Mid 1st, Orioles 1-0: The Orioles capitalized on a first-inning double that should have been overturned.
Nick Markakis led off the game with a line drive down the left field line. Replays showed that the ball hit to the left of the chalk, yet the umpires upheld the call, resulting in a leadoff double.
That was big, as Markakis scored three batters later when Adam Jones singled up the middle. Xander Bogaerts ranged out onto the outfield grass to corral Jones’ grounder, but the Red Sox shortstop had no play.
7:16 p.m.: John Farrell isn’t going to be happy about this one. It looked like the ball definitely landed foul, but the umpires upheld the call on the field.
7:13 p.m.: Nick Markakis hit a first-pitch double down the left field line. It’s likely coming back, though, as manager John Farrell is challenging the play.
6:40 p.m.:Â Koji Uehara, who pitched Thursday for the first time since April 9, came out of his outing feeling good physically. He is available in this game.
5:20 p.m.: Brock Holt will start at third base for the Red Sox in his first game back with the major league club.
Grady Sizemore will lead off and play left field. Sizemore hasn’t played left field at Fenway Park yet, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the task. John Farrell said before the game he opted to put Daniel Nava in right field because of Nava’s familiarity with that position at Fenway.
David Ortiz will sit out Friday’s series opener as part of a scheduled off day for the slugger. Mike Napoli, who returned from a dislocated finger Thursday, will serve as the designated hitter while Mike Carp gets the nod at first base.
Friday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (7-9)
Grady Sizemore, LF
Daniel Nava, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Mike Napoli, DH
Mike Carp, 1B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Brock Holt, 3B
John Lackey, RHP (2-1, 3.86 ERA)
Baltimore Orioles (7-7)
Nick Markakis, RF
Delmon Young, LF
Chris Davis, 1B
Adam Jones, CF
Nelson Cruz, DH
Matt Wieters, C
J.J. Hardy, SS
Steve Lombardozzi, 2B
Jonathan Schoop, 3B
Chris Tillman, RHP (1-1, 0.84 ERA)
5:10 p.m.: The Red Sox made a roster move Friday. Ryan Roberts was designated for assignment, and Brock Holt was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Red Sox manager John Farrell said the move was designed to spark the bottom third of the order, as well as give the team another left-handed bat as Boston enters a stretch in which it’s expected to face several right-handed starting pitchers.
Roberts must clear waivers in order to be assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket, but Farrell said Friday the Red Sox hope the veteran infielder will remain with the organization.
5:05 p.m.: Friday’s Red Sox-Orioles game will be televised on NESNplus, as the Boston Bruins are opening up their first-round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings on NESN.
If you’re unsure of your NESNplus channel, be sure to check out the listings below.
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5 p.m. ET: The Red Sox have not played their best baseball. Boston opens up a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday having won two straight, though, so perhaps things will start to turn around for the defending World Series champions.
John Lackey will be tasked with making it three in a row for the Red Sox, who begin a seven-game homestand by facing Chris Tillman, who has been excellent for the O’s so far this season.
Tillman surrendered just one run on seven hits over five innings while earning a no-decision against the Red Sox in his first career Opening Day start on March 31. Lackey faced the Orioles two days later and earned a win while tossing six innings of two-run ball.
The Red Sox were on the verge of losing four straight for the first time since 2012 until taking down the Chicago White Sox in 14 innings Wednesday. Boston then made it back-to-back wins by squeaking out a 3-1 victory Thursday in which Jon Lester matched White Sox ace Chris Sale pitch for pitch.
Will the Red Sox make it three in a row? Tune in on NESNplus, and follow along with NESN.com’s live blog to find out.
