G68: Red Sox 6, Orioles 4

Red Sox - 021 210 000 - 6  9  2
Orioles - 101 000 002 - 4 11  0

Baltimore actually had the audacity to take an early lead in this game, but it was extremely short-lived. Rafael Devers cranked his 10th home run in the second (for two runs) and Andrew Benintendi pounded his 12th dong (solo) to dead center in the third - and any stray concern that the Orioles stood a chance in this game was effectively erased.

The Orioles dug part of their own grave in the fourth when David Hess (3.1-5-5-4-2, 73) allowed three singles and then walked in a run. He was pulled in favour of Miguel Castro, who threw two pitches to J.D. Martinez before balking home another run. Christian Vazquez's second single of the game drove in a run in the fifth.

Eduardo Rodriguez (5.2-8-2-2-4, 109) dealt with opposing baserunners in all six innings in which he worked - and he had two men on in each of his first four innings. Joey Rickard began the bottom of the first with a home run.

Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop both singled to open the second, but Rodriguez struck out Mark Trumbo and Craig Gentry before Jackie Bradley caught Austin Wynns's line drive in right-center.

Rickard led off the third with a walk and scored on Danny Valencia 's single. Baltimore hit two two-out singles in the fourth, but Rickard flied to center.

Hector Velazquez ended the sixth with a strikeout and got the first man in the seventh, but then found himself in a bases-loaded jam when Adam Jones and Manny Machado singled and Valencia walked. Velazquez struck out Mancini for the second out and gave way to Joe Kelly, who gloved Schoop's comebacker and got the inning-ending force at the plate.

Matt Barnes walked Trumbo to start the eighth and Devers committed his 13th error of the season. (Xander Bogaerts has made the second-most errors this year (four).) Barnes escaped, striking out pinch-hitter Chance Sisco and getting two flyouts to right field.

Criag Kimbrel walked two men in the ninth and surrendered a two-run double to Trumbo, but he fanned Pedro Alvarez on his 33rd pitch of the inning to preserve Boston's MLB-leading 46th victory.

Red Sox's Best Records After 68 Games

1946   48-18-2  (Won AL Pennant)
1912   47-21    (Won World Series)
1978   47-21    (Lost AL East Playoff Game)
2018   46-22    ?
1904   45-23    (Won AL Pennant; No World Series played)

Also: The Yankees beat the Nationals 3-0.

Eduardo Rodriguez / David Hess

Nunez, DH
Benintendi, LF
Martinez, RF
Moreland, 1B
Bogaerts, SS
Devers, 3B
Holt, 2B
Vazquez, C
Bradley, CF

Mookie Betts said he felt "amazing" after playing 11 innings last night, but manager Alex Cora apparently is not taking any chances and Betts will begin the night on the bench.

Eduardo Rodriguez, who I often feel doesn't quite live up to the expectations that I (and presumably many other Red Sox fans) have of him, has a 2.14 ERA over his last six starts. He's allowed 30 hits in 33.2 innings in those outings, but 25 of those hits have been singles.

MFY: Nationals/Yankees, 7 PM.

The Staten Island Yankees are changing their nickname - but only for their Saturday home games this summer.

On June 23, July 7, July 14, July 21, and August 4, the Class A team will be known as the Staten Island Pizza Rats, the winning name in a 2016 fan vote.

I admit it. I love that logo.