The Red Sox got their first real taste of Major League Baseball’s new extra-innings rule Saturday night, though it didn’t necessarily work in Boston’s favor.
Under the new rule, teams will begin each inning of extra baseball with a runner on second base. The Red Sox were first to experiment with the rule, recording one run in the top of the 10th.
The Orioles, however, found more success, with Rio Ruiz scoring on a wild pitch from Matt Barnes before Pedro Severino put the game away with a game-winning single.
Surely, this is not the outcome the Red Sox had hoped for. But manager Ron Roenicke actually liked how the new rule worked.
“It was interesting. I kind of liked it,” he told reporters after the game via Zoom. “You get after it right away, you try to figure out what you’re going to do. Once we scored the one run, it’s up to them if they try to tie it with a bunt. What if they do? And they had the right guy up.
“So, the moment was there. It’s tough because we know he’s going to lay down a perfect bunt and we didn’t get any outs on it which really hurts.”
MartÃn Pérez, who missed out on the win Saturday, has a slightly different opinion.
“I feel like we were playing little league,” he said. “But, that’s the rules. We have to follow the rules. And (in) the 10th inning, they played better than us and they put the ball in play. … It was weird, but like I said, that’s the rules and we have to follow them.”
Perhaps Boston will have better luck next time. For now, its three-game win streak has been snapped.
Here are some more notes from Saturday’s Orioles-Red Sox game:
— Pérez had one of the best outings of his season Saturday night.
The southpaw pitched seven solid innings, giving up just one earned run on five hits while striking out six. Naturally, Roenicke is pleased with his progression this season.
“Great outing,” Roenicke said after the game. ” … Seven innings, great job commanding the ball all night, good change-up, really good fastball (and) really commanded it well. It’s just too bad we didn’t give him a win.”
— The Orioles snapped a day six-game losing streak with tonight’s extra-innings victory.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, snapped a three-game win streak with the loss.
— Alex Verdugo extended his hit streak to 13 games Saturday with a double in the third inning.
— Mitch Moreland made an iffy throwing decision in the 10th after a sacrifice bunt by Cedric Mullins sent the game-tying run in Ruiz to third base.
And while he understands the thought behind the original play, Roenicke would have liked to see something a little different.
“Yes, I’d rather have him go to first,” Roenicke said. “It was just such a tough bunt. … He’s going to have to stand and throw it to first with a guy who’s flying down the line. … You try to get one out at least.”
— The Red Sox return to action Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, with Zack Godley getting the ball for Boston.
