In outing No. 6, Martín Pérez delivered his best showing in a Boston Red Sox uniform.
But it was all for naught.
The Red Sox fell to the Orioles in 10 innings 5-4 on Saturday at Camden Yards. The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for Boston.
Perez allowed just one run over seven innings, but Josh Taylor gave up a two-run homer in the eighth that ultimately forced extras. And while the Red Sox scored one run in the 10th, the Orioles brought home a pair, with Pedro Severino driving in the winning run on a bases-loaded single to center.
The Red Sox fell to 9-19 with the loss, while the Orioles climbed to 13-14 with the win.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN WORD
Jarring.
The Red Sox looked like they were cruising to a win, but instead extras and a loss were in store.
ON THE BUMP
— It was quite a night for Pérez, who allowed just one run over seven hittings with five hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
Pérez’s night got off to a smooth start with a 1-2-3 first inning, but he got into a little trouble in the second inning.
With nobody on and one out in the second inning, Pérez put a 1-1 changeup on the outer half of the plate for Pat Valaika, who stroked it into the right-center field seats to put the O’s up 1-0.
From there, Pérez settled in nicely. He finished the second inning without issue, then never let anyone past second base the rest of his nice, while also retiring the side in order in the fifth and sixth.
With Pérez trying to protect a 3-1 lead in the seventh, the Orioles put runners on first and second with one out, and they moved to scoring position with two down. However, Pérez managed to dance out of the jam to keep the lead in tact to end his night.
— Josh Taylor got the eighth inning, and after recording two outs, he walked Hanser Alberto. And the next hitter, Anthony Santander, launched a two-run, game-tying homer.
— The Red Sox pulled Taylor after the Santander homer, and Ryan Brasier took over. He allowed a single, but the runner was thrown out trying to steal second during the next at-bat, which ended the inning.
Brasier returned for the ninth, and with runners on first and second he struck out pinch-hitter Rio Ruiz to force extras.
— Matt Barnes got the 10th, and a Cedric Mullins bunt single moved Ruiz to third, putting runners on the corners.
Barnes then put Alberto in a 1-2 count, and Barnes spiked a breaking ball that went to the backstop and scored Ruiz, while moving Mullins to second with no outs.
Alberto proceeded to hit an infield single, prompting the Sox to intentionally walk Santander to load the bases. That brought up Severino, who ripped a game-winning single to end the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— One night after the Red Sox got three home runs from three different hitters, Jackie Bradley Jr. opened up the scoring for Boston with a longball.
With the Sox down 1-0 in the fifth inning and no one on, Bradley Jr. took a 2-1 fastball from Alex Cobb and snuck it right over the wall in left-center field to tie the game.
— Bradley Jr.’s blast wasn’t the Red Sox’s only run in the fifth, either.
Jose Peraza followed up Bradley’s dinger with a single, then the next hitter, Alex Verdugo, doubled to right to score the second baseman and put the Sox ahead 2-1.
— The Red Sox gave themselves a cushion in the sixth. Mitch Moreland worked a one-out walk, then went first-to-third on a Christian Vazquez single the next at-bat thanks to some smart baserunning. Pillar followed that up with an infield single, which scored Moreland and put the Sox ahead 3-1.
— After the bullpen blew the lead, the Sox got their first taste of the new extra innings rule. It worked out well for them offensively, in part because O’s reliever Cole Sulser couldn’t find the strike zone.
Verdugo started on second base, and after getting Rafael Devers to strike out on three pitches, Sulser walked J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and, finally, Moreland, the latter of which brought in a run to put the Sox up 4-3.
— Verdugo and Vazquez each had two hits.
— Martinez, Pillar, Bradley Jr. and Peraza had one hit apiece.
— Devers, Bogaerts and Moreland went hitless.
TWEET OF THE GAME
This is becoming familiar.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Orioles will finish up their four-game set Sunday afternoon. Zack Godley will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Wade LeBlanc. First pitch from Camden Yards is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.
