the joy of sox: G29: Orioles 5, Red Sox 4

August 23, 2020

G29: Orioles 5, Red Sox 4

Red Sox - 100 001 002 - 4  6  0
Orioles - 003 000 20x - 5 10  0

Jackie Bradley homered with two outs in the ninth inning, but there was only one man on base, so the Red Sox were left a run short. The Orioles managed a split of the four-game series as Rio Ruiz drove in four runs.

The Red Sox (9-20) are off tomorrow before playing three games in Buffalo against the Blue Jays.

Kevin Pillar (two hits, two runs scored) homered on Wade LeBlanc's second pitch of the day. But after two outs and a walk, LeBlanc left the game with a left left elbow discomfort. Thomas Eshelman came on and walked Vazquez before getting the third out.

Zach Godley (2.2-2-3-5-3, 70) loaded the bases in the first inning, throwing 32 pitches, but wriggled out of trouble. After Cedric Mullins doubled, Godley got two outs, but walked Pedro Severino and hit Chance Sisco. With three on, he struck out Pat Valaika looking on an 0-2 curve. Godley also gave up a leadoff double in the second and issued a one-out walk, but again evaded any damage.

He was not so lucky in the third. With one out, Godley walked Severino and Sisco and, with two outs, threw a wild pitch and walked Ryan Mountcastle. Godley left, having recorded eight outs while walking five. Jeffrey Springs came in with the bases full and Rio Ruiz singled to right, giving Baltimore a 2-1 lead. A bunt single by Andrew Velazquez made it 3-1.

Eschelman (4.1-0-0-1-2, 54) walked his first batter, but he retired the next 13 Red Sox hitters, as Boston went in order in the second, third, fourth, and fifth. As soon as he left, the Red Sox rallied. Pillar led off the sixth with a single off Miguel Castro. J.D. Martinez walked with one out. Pillar stole third and scored on Xander Bogaerts's double. Vázquez grounded to second and Martinez was thrown out at the plate. Vázquez swiped second, but Michael Chavis struck out.

Boston wasted a two-out single in the top of the eighth and the Orioles extended their lead in the bottom half. Two singles and a bunt off Robert Stock put Orioles at second and third with one out. Stock fanned Mountcastle, but Ruiz doubled to left for two runs.

The Red Sox did nothing in the eighth and had Alex Verdugo at first base with two outs in the ninth. Tanner Scott relieved Mychal Givens and Bradley lined a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left-center for his second home run of the season, cutting Baltimore's lead to 5-4. Jonathan Araúz singled, but Pillar grounded the first pitch to shortstop and Araúz was forced to end the game.