Beating the Red Sox is no easy task, even with the help of Mother Nature.
Boston claimed the series opener over Baltimore on Monday, beating the Orioles 5-3 at Camden Yards.
The game featured two separate rain delays, one with two outs in the top half of the first inning and another with two down in the bottom half of the third. But after the second delay, the weather held off enough to allow the completion of the game.
With the win the Red Sox climb to 71-31, while the Orioles fall to 28-73.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Rain.
The game didn’t have much of a rhythm to it, with periodic downpours causing a pair of delays and muddying up the field.
ON THE BUMP
— Despite two separate stoppages, Rick Porcello was totally dialed in. The 29-year-old tossed six scoreless innings, allowing six hits and striking out equally as many with one walk as he earned his 12th win of the season.
It wasn’t so much a performance of sheer dominance for Porcello, rather composure when faced with less-than-ideal circumstances. Porcello allowed at least one runner to reach each inning he was on the mound, but between solid pitching out of the stretch and occasional help from the defense, the right-hander thoroughly was in control.
— Ryan Brasier took over in the seventh and pitched a scoreless frame, allowing one hit and striking out two.
— Brandon Workman handled the eighth and surrendered the Orioles’ only runs.
Tim Beckham began the inning with an infield single. He originally was ruled out on the throw from Rafael Devers, but a review overturned the call. Jonathan Schoop followed that up by hitting a home run to left, cutting their deficit to 5-2.
Workman then retired the next three hitters, preventing any further damage.
— Craig Kimbrel secured the win in the ninth, but it wasn’t without issue.
The closer allowed a one-out double to Renato Nunez, with Caleb Joseph bringing him in the next at-bat to trim Boston’s lead to 5-3. Kimbrel then proceeded to get out of the frame without further issue.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mitch Moreland got the Red Sox on the board first as he went deep in the second inning. O’s starter Kevin Gausman left a 2-0 fastball right over the plate, and the All-Star made him pay.
— After a quiet couple of innings, the Red Sox poured on some runs in the fifth.
Xander Bogaerts smacked a double to begin the stanza, with Devers and Sandy Leon working one-out walks to load the bases. Gausman then walked a run in by giving a free pass to Jackie Bradley Jr., making it 2-0 Boston.
After Mookie Betts struck out, Andrew Benintendi drilled a ground rule double to left to plate a pair. Following a Baltimore pitching change, J.D. Martinez brought the fourth run of the frame in with a single, upping the Sox’s lead to 5-0.
— The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but couldn’t cash in.
— Benintendi led the Red Sox with two hits.
— Betts, Martinez, Moreland, Bogaerts and Devers each had one hit.
— All other Red Sox batters went hitless.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Not a bad mindset during a rain delay.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will continue their three-game set with the Orioles on Tuesday. Drew Pomeranz is set to get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Yefry Ramirez. First pitch from Camden Yards is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
