September 20, 2016

G151: Red Sox 5, Orioles 2

Red Sox - 001 100 300 - 5 11  0
Orioles - 000 010 100 - 2  6  0
David Ortiz's three-run home run extended the Red Sox's lead from 2-1 to 5-1, paving the way for Boston's sixth straight victory, tying a season-high. The Red Sox also won six in a row from July 6-16 and August 12-17. ... The Red Sox are an MLB-best 13-5 in September.

Eduardo Rodriguez (6.1-4-2-1-7, 90) retired the first 11 Orioles, just as Rick Porcello had done on Monday night. And again, Manny Machado broke up any thoughts of a Red Sox perfect game, this time by walking on four pitches.

By that time, the Red Sox had a 2-0 lead against Kevin Gausman (6.1-10-5-1-5, 101). They had runners on base in every inning against the Orioles starter. Boston stranded two in the first and wasted a leadoff double from Chris Young in the second. Mookie Betts (3-for-5, his 14th three-hit game of the year) singled to shallow left to start the third; it was Betts's 200th hit of the season. He went to third as Ortiz grounded a single to center and scored on Hanley Ramirez's fielder's choice out. Jackie Bradley belted a home run in the fourth.

Baltimore cut the lead to 2-1 when Trey Mancini, who was making his major league debut, homered in his second at-bat, in the fifth inning. Rodriguez got into a slight jam when Chris Davis singled with one out in the sixth. Machado tapped a grounder towards Marco Hernandez at second. Hernandez had to run in (while avoiding the baserunner) and fling the ball sideways but he recorded the out, Machado helping out by slowing himself up with a headfirst slide. With the tying run at second, Rodriguez battled Mark Trumbo for seven pitches before striking him out.

Hernandez and Betts started the seventh with singles. With one out, Ortiz cracked his 36th home run, setting a new record for dongs in a player's final season. Ortiz now has 121 RBI, his highest total since he led the AL with 137 in 2006.

Jonathan Schoop doubled off Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh and after Matt Wieters lined out, manager John Farrell went to the bullpen. Matt Barnes got the second out, but then allowed an infield single that scored Schoop and another single that put Orioles at first and third. Brad Ziegler - facing Adam Jones as the potential tying run - ended the threat by getting Jones to fly to center.

Koji Uehara pitched a clean eighth, with two pop-ups and a strikeout. Craig Kimbrel - who now has not allowed a run in his last 14 appearances - issued a two-out walk in the ninth, but got the final out on a force play at second.
Eduardo Rodriguez / Kevin Gausman
Betts, RF
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, 1B
Shaw, 3B
Young, LF
Bradley, CF
Leon, C
Hernandez, 2B
Boston's magic number for winning the AL East is 9 with 12 games to play. ... Also: Blue Jays/Mariners.
BOS --- 
BAL 4.0
TOR 4.0

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