Rick Porcello pitched six innings of shutout baseball Monday night, Andrew Benintendi knocked in two runs, while three others had an RBI each, as the Boston Red Sox held on for a 5-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles at a wet and soggy Camden Yards.
In the top of the first after two batters the game was delayed due to rain for 41 minutes and then stopped once again for rain for 17 minutes, before the teams were able to compete the full nine innings. Boston wins their 71st game (71-31), moving 40 games over .500 for first time since 1949, and the best start ever in team history through 102 games. Mitch Moreland started things with a solo homer in the top of the second. Boston got the rest of their runs on the night in the fourth. Jackie Bradley Jr walked with the bases loaded, Benintendi hit a ground rule two run double to left, and JD Martinez also singled in a run to make it 5-0.
Orioles second basenan Jonathan Schoop cut it to 5-2 with a two run homer off Brandon Workman in the eighth. Craig Kimbrel allowed a run on two hits in the ninth, but got Jace Peterson to ground into a 3-6 double play to end it and earn his 32nd save. Benintendi led the seven hit Sox attack with a pair of hits, while five others had a hit each. Porcello (12-4) allowed six hits, one walk, with six strikeouts in his 6.0 innings of scoreless work. Kevin Gausman (4-8) gave up five runs and three hits over 4.2 innings for the 28-73 Orioles. Tim Beckham, Schoop, and Caleb Joseph had two hits a piece.
Boston, now with a six game lead over New York in the A.L. East, sends Drew Pomeranz fresh off the DL and minor league rehab to the hill Tuesday night at 7:05 in game two of the series.
