They may not be perfect, but the Boston Red Sox finally are coming into form.
After putting on quite a show Friday evening, the Sox earned a more modest 7-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Saturday. The Sox finally put some runs on the board for Chris Sale, who earned his third win of the season.
Boston amassed 12 hits and was led by Brock Holt, who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the win.
The Red Sox climbed to 38-34 with the win, while the O’s fell to 21-49 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Relieving.
Sale finally got some much-needed run support from his team.
ON THE BUMP
— It was just another typical day on the mound for Sale.
The southpaw gave up just two runs (both earned) off six hits with 10 strikeouts across six innings.
After a stellar first five innings, Sale got himself into a bit of trouble in the sixth, starting with an RBI-double given up to Renato Nuñez that allowed Hanser Alberto to score the O’s first run of the game. Jonathan Villar hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one out in the inning, scoring Trey Mancini to cut the Sox’s lead to one.
Sale got out of the inning without allowing any further runs to score by getting Keon Buxton to strike out to end his afternoon.
— Marcus Walden took over pitching duties in the seventh. He gave up just one hit before sitting the remaining batters he faced that inning.
— Matt Barnes took the mound in the eighth. Despite a single to Nuñez and a walk to Villar, Barnes struck out the next three batters.
— Brandon Workman got the ball for the ninth, walking one man before retiring the side to end the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Boston missed plenty of early opportunities to put runs on the board.
The Sox loaded the bases in the second, but Mookie Betts struck out to end the inning. They left two men in scoring position in the fourth, as well.
Boston went 0-for-5 through the first four innings alone with runnings in scoring position.
— Anthony Santander robbed Betts of what could have been an extra-base hit with this beautiful fifth-inning catch.
— Boston finally scored some runs in the sixth, starting with a Xander Bogarts double to score Rafael Devers from first.
Holt knocked an RBI-single into right-center field, bringing Bogaerts home from third to make it 2-0 good guys. Michael Chavis kept things going with a single just by the glove of a diving Alberto. And that would end the day for Orioles starter Dylan Bundy.
But the Sox weren’t done there, driving in its third run of the day off of a fielding error committed by Alberto.
— J.D. Martinez launched his 16th home run of the season in the seventh to give the Sox a little insurance and make it 4-2.
— Boston tacked on three more in the ninth.
After Betts scored on a Bogaerts’ one-out sacrifice fly to shallow right-center, Holt added another run to the board with an RBI-single to center. The Sox’s seventh and final run came on a throwing error committed by catcher Pedro Severino that allowed Devers to score from third.
TWEET OF THE DAY
It’s always good to keep things in perspective.
UP NEXT
Boston look to sweep its three-game set against the Orioles on Sunday in a matinee at Camden Yards. Brian Johnson will get the start for the Red Sox. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m. ET.
