Rick Porcello’s home run problem came back in a big way Thursday.
The Boston Red Sox dropped their series finale against the Baltimore Orioles with a 12-7 loss, partly due to the fact that their starter gave up three home runs. Porcello had been limiting home runs and keeping their damage to a minimum this season until Thursday.
Still, Porcello left with the game tied at five runs apiece, but relievers Junichi Tazawa and Noe Ramirez coupled to give up four home runs to put the game out of reach.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Dingers.
The Red Sox’s pitching staff did a great job of keeping the ball within the confines of Camden Yards this series — the O’s didn’t even have a home run in Boston’s 13-9 loss Wednesday — but that was not the case Thursday. At least Boston had one of the eight home runs that were hit, right?
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
The Orioles hit three home runs in the eighth inning.
Yeah, that certainly didn’t help Boston’s chances of coming back in the ninth.
ON THE BUMP
— If you watched Porcello’s whole night, it’s actually a little surprising he gave up three home runs. Yes, he has a history of trouble with the long ball, but pitches he threw to right fielder Mark Trumbo (twice) and center fielder Adam Jones weren’t necessarily poorly located; two good hitters just smashed them out of the yard.
Still, three home runs are three home runs, and the rest of Porcello’s night doesn’t change the results. The right-hander finished the night with five runs on six hits with three strikeouts and no walks over six innings.
— Robbie Ross Jr. ran into some trouble after allowing a walk and a single to his first two batters, and things weren’t looking great after a visit to the mound from the trainer. Still, Ross got two outs before Junichi Tazawa came in. Tazawa, however, was the one to spoil things, giving up a three-run bomb to Manny Machado to give the Orioles the lead.
Ross finished the night with two earned runs on one hit and one walk through 2/3 of an inning. Tazawa gave up another home run, a solo shot, to Pedro Alvarez in the eighth and gave up three runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout over one inning.
— Noe Ramirez came on to finish out the eighth and promptly gave up two home runs, the Orioles’ sixth and seventh, to Francisco Pena and Jones. Ramirez finished with two runs on two hits in only 1/3 of an inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Xander Bogaerts extended his hitting streak to 26 games with a two-RBI single in the sixth inning. The shortstop went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run.
— David Ortiz hit a three-run homer to put the Red Sox up in the sixth. He went 1-for-5 with three RBIs and a run.
— Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez both enjoyed solid nights, going 2-for-5 and 2-for-4, respectively, with Pedroia scoring a run. Blake Swihart also went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
— Christian Vazquez went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double and two runs scored, and Chris Young went 1-for-4.
— Mookie Betts got his first hit in the ninth inning, going 1-for-4 with a walk, a run and an RBI.
— Travis Shaw (0-for-4) went hitless.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
The Red Sox score a lot of runs, but …
With Porcello's outing, Sox extended their American League lead for most starts of 5+ runs allowed. They've done it 17 times.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) June 3, 2016
UP NEXT
The Red Sox head home Friday to begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. David Price will face off against R.A. Dickey in the 7:10 p.m. contest.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
