When you see the final score of Friday nights baseball game between Boston and Baltimore you will have to adjust your eyes. It wasn’t a preseason NFL game between the Patriots and Ravens. The Red Sox and Orioles combined for 33 hits, with Boston coming out on top in a wild one at Camden Yards 19-12.
Nathan Eovaldi, who had entered the game with 15 scoreless innings pitched as a member of the Red Sox, gave up eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits over 2.2 innings, as the Orioles ran out to an 8-3 lead after three innings. Boston would then go on to score 16 of the final 20 runs in the game. After cutting the deficit to 8-5 in the fourth, Boston finally took their first lead by putting up six runs in the sixth to make it 11-8. Highlighting that sixth inning was a Brock Holt solo homer, back to back bases loaded walks to Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, and then a two run single by Holt and Boston made the lead stand up.
Baltimore came back to within a run on a Tim Beckham solo homer and a Chris Davis RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to make it 11-10. But then Boston left fielder Andrew Beninitendi hit a three run homer in the seventh to make it 14-10, while Mookie Betts hit a bases clearing three run double in the eighth, followed later in the inning with a JD Martinez two run single to break it open at 19-10. The O’s scored the games final two runs with single runs in the bottom of the eighth and ninth. The 19 runs is the most the Orioles have allowed in any game since moving to Baltimore in 1954. The loss also eliminates Baltimore (35-81) from playoff contention with still 46 games to play.
Betts, Benintendi, Holt, and Jackie Bradley Jr. all had three hits a piece to combine for 12 of the 16 hits in the game for the 82-35 Red Sox. Betts, Holt, and Benintendi also had three RBI each. Bradley Jr. scores four times. Bogaerts had one hit, a three run first inning homer, and a bases loaded walk in the sixth to finish with four RBI. Martinez had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI, and now has 101 knocked in on the season. He becomes the first player in the majors to hit 100 or more RBI this season, and also becomes the first Red Sox player since David Ortiz in 2003 to hit 30 or more homers and have 100 or more RBI in his first season with the club.
Drew Pomeranz (2-5) earned the win in his new role out of the bullpen, allowing no runs or hits, with a walk and one strikeout in 1.0 inning of work. Heath Hembree got his 16th hold of the season in the sixth, as six Sox relievers combined to hold Baltimore to four earned runs over the games final 6.1 innings. Orioles starter Dylan Bundy also got a no decision, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings. Miguel Castro (2-7) took the loss, allowing three earned runs without giving up a hit in just 0.2 innings.
Boston and Baltimore play a day-night doubleheader on Saturday. Bostons David Price opposes Baltimores Jimmy Yacbonis in game one at 1:05. In game two the Sox haven’t announced a starter yet, while the Orioles go with Yefry Ramirez at 7:05.
