Boston catcher Christian Vazquez talks to the Red Sox third base coach in an earlier game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner (click to enlarge)
The Boston Red Sox scored five runs in the 10th inning Sunday afternoon, winning their fifth straight game 8-6 over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. The game took four hours and 45 minutes to play as Boston finished off the three game weekend sweep.
Hanser Alberto gave the Orioles the lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the third to make it 1-0. The Red Sox took the lead though in the fourth when Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. both hit RBI doubles to make it 2-1. The score remained the same until the bottom of the eighth when Jonathan Villar stole third base, and then scored on a wild pitch from Boston reliever Marcus Walden to tie it 2-2. Alberto then gave Baltimore (21-50) their second lead of the day at 3-2 with another RBI single. Marco Hernandez sent the game to extra innings when he hit a one out solo homer in the ninth off Orioles closer Mychal Givens.
Rafael Devers led off the 10th inning with a long solo homer to center field. The ball traveled an estimated 445 feet. A pair of two run singles later in the inning by Mookie Betts and Christian Vazquez made it 8-3. The two RBI single for Vazquez turned out to be the game winner. Stevie Wilkerson hit a two run homer in the bottom half, while Trey Mancini also hit a solo shot but the Orioles fell just short of a comeback bid while falling to 9-28 at home this season. Baltimore is the only team in the majors to not win at least 10 games at home so far this year. Boston improves to 39-34, five games over the .500 mark for the first time in the 2019 season.
Betts had three hits to lead the Sox offense. Vazquez, Devers, Bogaerts, and Michael Chavis all had two hits a piece. Devers and Chavis also scored two runs a piece. Brian Johnson who was recently recalled got a no decision allowing just a run and five hits over 3.0 innings. Walden was charged with a blown save, and Brandon Workman (5-1) worked the ninth to pick up the win. Alberto had three hits for the O’s. Mancini and Pedro Severino had two hits each. Starting pitcher John Means allowed two runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings. Givens (0-4) took the loss and also suffered his fifth blown save.
Boston will start a three game road series against the top team in the American League Central the Minnesota Twins on Monday night in Minneapolis. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. with Rick Porcello taking the hill for the Sox, against Jose Berrios for the Twins.
