The Boston Red Sox were ice cold at the plate in their 4-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles Monday at Camden Yards, but there was one bright spot despite the final result.
Left-handed starter David Price went to the 10-day injured list Monday morning, causing the team to call up righty Ryan Weber from Triple-A Pawtucket. Manager Alex Cora didn’t wait long to use his newest addition.
Weber came into the game in the fifth inning after starter Josh Smith was knocked out after just 3 1/3 innings of work. Baltimore already had hung four runs on the board thanks to a grand slam from Jonathan Villar, so it was Weber’s job to keep the game within reach. He did just that.
The 28-year-old gave up just three hits over his four innings of work, in addition to four strikeouts and no walks. He had great command to accompany his crafty arsenal. Weber had movement on every pitch, but his two-seam fastball was especially impressive. Cora highlighted his style after the game.
“He’s a guy where there’s not… I don’t want to say not a lot of velocity, but it’s not like the radar gun is going to get your eye, but movement will be there,” Cora said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “He does a good job changing speeds, using the changeup, the breaking ball, the two-seam fastball front door to take lefties out.”
If Weber continues to throw like this, he’ll quickly become a valued piece of the Red Sox’s pitching staff thanks to his versatility. The righty started five games for Pawtucket, so don’t be surprised if he ends up making a spot start while Boston’s rotation regains their health.
Here are some more notes from Monday’s Red Sox-Orioles game:
— JD Martinez got the start in left field and immediately was thrown into a bizarre scenario.
Jonathan Villar led off for Baltimore and smoked one to the left field wall. Martinez jumped up to try and catch the ball, but a fan reached over and deflected it before the left fielder could get to it. Martinez agreed with the call.
“I went up to catch the ball and the fan just kind of reached over and hit it,” he said after the game. “It was one of those things where I felt like I could have caught the ball and then he hit it. I think they got the call right.”
— Josh Smith got his first start of the season, but one bad pitch did him in.
Smith gave up a two-out grand slam to Villar in the second inning, which put the Orioles up 4-0. That was all they would need to get the win.
The right-hander ultimately would get pulled with one out in the third.
— Christian Vazquez remained hot at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and scored Boston’s lone run on the night.
The catcher is hitting .421 in his last seven games.
— The Red Sox look to bounce back at Camden Yards on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
