The Baltimore Orioles have been no match for the Boston Red Sox all season, a trend that very much continued Wednesday afternoon.
Boston trounced the Orioles 19-3 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. In the process, the Red Sox improved their record vs. Baltimore this season to 16-2, outscoring the O’s by 68 runs in those 18 games.
GAME IN A WORD
Bludgeoning.
The Red Sox pounced on Baltimore starter Ryan Meisinger in the first inning, chasing him in the opening frame of his first big league start. Despite some shakiness from Red Sox starter David Price, this one was over just about as soon as it began.
ON THE BUMP
–Price was able to pick up his 16th win of the season, but the decision essentially was a formality after the Red Sox’s five-spot in the first inning. Price did have to wait in the Boston dugout for a couple of big innings, which might have led to some problems, especially in the second inning. Baltimore tagged Price for three runs by way of home runs from Trey Mancini and Renato Nunez, but the Boston left-hander settled in after that.
The final line for Price: five innings, three runs (all earned) on six hits, three walks and six strikeouts. He threw 88 pitches (57 strikes), including the 39-pitch second inning.
–Steven Wright continued to strengthen his case for the playoff roster, pitching two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Wright hasn’t allowed an earned run in 12 2/3 innings out of the bullpen since the start of September.
–Heath Hembree pitched a perfect eighth inning with a strikeout.
–Brandon Workman preserved the 16-run lead with a scoreless ninth inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
Just about everyone had a day for the Boston offense, which scored the 19 runs on a season-high 22 hits.
–Mookie Betts had a seemingly ho-hum afternoon, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored before being lifted in the sixth inning. After his second hit, however, Betts swiped second base and become the second player in Red Sox history to record 30 stolen bases and 30 home runs in a single season.
–Betts wasn’t the only one reaching milestones in Game 1. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts became the first Red Sox shortstop since Nomar Garciaparra in 2003 to reach the 100-RBI when he hit a deep two-run homer to center field in the sixth inning. Bogaerts finished the afternoon 2-for-4 while knocking in four runs.
–Oh, and Rafael Devers, too. The Red Sox third baseman hit his 20th and 21st home run of the season, joining Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro as the only Red Sox players to hit 20 home runs in a season before turning 22. The two dingers traveled a total of 879 feet. Devers finished the day with four hits and six RBIs.
–J.D. Martinez also had a nice day, going 3-for-5 with a long three-run home run in the fourth inning. The blast, Martinez’s 42nd of the season, traveled 404 feet and came off the bat at 105.9 mph. He got all of it.
–Blake Swihart hit one of Boston’s five home runs, his third of the season.
–Everyone in the Red Sox starting lineup had a hit, and Sandy Leon was the only starter without multiple hits.
TWEET OF THE DAY
JD Martinez with his 42nd home run of the season for the @RedSox… Doesn't get much prettier than this. #PowerAllFields 😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/v4ckAzsvUp
— Daren Willman (@darenw) September 26, 2018
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Orioles will square off for the 19th and final time of the 2018 season in the nightcap of the doubleheader at 7:10 p.m. ET. Chris Sale will get his final tune-up on the mound for the Red Sox.
