It appears the Red Sox offense just needed an extra day for the bats to arrive in Baltimore.
After managing just one run in the series opener of its three-game set with the Orioles, Boston’s offense heated up in the middle contest en route to an 8-5 win over the O’s on Tuesday at Camden Yards.
Six of Boston’s eight runs came via the long ball, with J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Mitch Moreland leaving the park in the win. Moreland’s blast was a three-run shot in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie and put the Sox up by the deciding margin.
The Red Sox climbed to 18-19 with the win, while the Orioles fell to 13-23 with the loss.
Here’s how it went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Dingers.
There was no shortage of power coming from the Sox’s bats in the win.
ON THE BUMP
— Hector Velazquez got the start for the Red Sox, and he delivered a fair outing. Over three innings, Velazquez allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and no strikeouts.
The righty was handed a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but promptly squandered it. Velazquez got the first two hitters he faced out before allowing a single to Dwight Smith Jr. The next batter, Rio Ruiz, put a 1-1 fastball into the seats in right-center to tie the game.
Velazquez allowed a double and a walk in a scoreless second, then tossed a 1-2-3 third inning to end his night.
— Marcus Walden took over in the fourth and pitched three innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Tasked with preserving a one-run lead in the fourth, Walden got the first two hitters out, but gave up a dinger to Hanser Alberto to tie the game at three.
Walden responded nicely though, retiring the side in order in the fifth and sixth.
— Brandon Workman handled the seventh, pitching a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.
— Ryan Brasier pitched part of the eighth, allowing things to get a little interesting in the process.
With the Red Sox up 6-3 entering the frame, Trey Mancini hit a one-out single off the righty. The next batter, Smith, roped a double down the right-field line to bring Mancini home and cut Baltimore’s deficit to two.
Chris Davis then flared a single out to left, plating Smith to make it a one-run game and end Brasier’s night.
— Matt Barnes came in and cleaned up Brasier’s mess, striking out Stevie Wilkerson to end the inning with the tying run on first.
Barnes returned for the ninth and allowed a walk in a hitless, scoreless frame to complete the four-out save.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Martinez put the Red Sox on the board in the first, achieving a milestone in the process.
Mookie Betts worked a one-out walk, then Martinez blasted a homer, the 200th of his career, to center field, making it 2-0 Boston.
— With the game tied up in the fourth, Bogaerts put the Sox back ahead.
The shortstop led off the frame by drilling a 2-1 fastball for his seventh homer of the year.
— The Orioles tied the game back up in the fourth inning, but Moreland put it out of reach once and for all in the fifth.
Betts kicked off the inning with a single, then Martinez walked. Moreland cleared the bases with a three-run shot to left off a 1-1 fastball over the heart of the plate.
— With their lead down to one in the ninth, the Red Sox added some much-needed insurance.
The Sox loaded the bases to begin the inning on a walk, single and hit batter, then Betts walked to bring the first run home, prompting a pitching change for Baltimore. Martinez hit a sac fly to left to score the second and final run of the inning, making it 8-5.
— Christian Vazquez had two hits.
— Betts, Martinez, Moreland, Bogaerts and Rafael Devers had one hit apiece.
— Andrew Benintendi, Michael Chavis and Jackie Bradley Jr. went hitless.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Yeah, not bad.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Orioles will play the rubber match Wednesday. Chris Sale will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Andrew Cashner. First pitch from Camden Yards is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.
