Baltimore, MD (SportsNetwork.com) – Brock Holt struck the go-ahead three-run
home run in the eighth inning, and Boston held on to post a 7-5 decision over
Baltimore in the opener of a three-game series.
David Ortiz collected two hits, including an earlier three-run blast and
Hanley Ramirez also went deep for the Red Sox, who had dropped two of three in
Tampa Bay.
Alexi Ogando (1-0) recorded the final out of the seventh for the win. Koji
Uehara worked out of trouble in the ninth to post his third save.
Jimmy Paredes clubbed a two-run shot and Chris Davis added a solo shot and
scored twice for the Orioles, whose losing skid reached five games.
Brian Matusz (0-2) failed to retire a batter and was charged with the
deciding, but unearned, run.
Tommy Hunter recorded the first two outs in the eighth, but Matusz walked
Pablo Sandoval and yielded to Darren O’Day, who was a victim of a Manny
Machado fielding error allowing pinch-hitter Allen Craig to reach and then
Holt un-tied the contest with a homer to right which made it 7-4.
Davis got one back off Junichi Tazawa in the bottom portion, and though Delmon
Young singled, Rey Navarro flied out to end the frame.
Uehara allowed a leadoff hit from Caleb Joseph and a one-out single to Steve
Pearce which put runners on the corners, but he recovered to retire Machado on
a pop out and fanned Paredes swinging.
The O’s cracked Red Sox starter Rick Porcello in the home fourth, as Machado
reached on a one-out single and scored when Paredes followed with a blast to
right.
Boston responded in the fifth. Mookie Betts walked and Dustin Pedroia singled
ahead of an Ortiz homer to right which put the visitors on top. Ramirez
followed with a solo shot for a two-run edge.
Everth Cabrera singled home Navarro in the home half, then Cabrera’s fly with
one down and the bases loaded in the seventh scored Davis with the tying run.
After Craig Breslow exited for Ogando, Pearce walked to re-load the sacks, but
Machado struck out.
Game Notes
Porcello worked into the seventh inning, allowing four runs on
six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks … Baltimore’s Miguel Gonzalez
exited after six frames, charged with eight hits and four runs … Prior to
the contest, the Orioles placed infielder Ryan Flaherty on the 15-day
disabled list Friday with a strained right groin and recalled infielder
Rey Navarro from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the roster spot … Game time was
3:29, the 14th time in 17 games the BoSox have played longer than three hours
already this season.
