One day after being placed on the COVID-19 related injury list, JD Martinez returned to the lineup in a huge way Sunday afternoon with three solo homeruns and four RBI to lead the Boston Red Sox to their sixth straight win and their second straight series sweep with a 14-9 victory over the Baltimore at Camden Yards in Baltimore.
Boston (6-3) got the fun started in the third inning when Alex Verduo hit a three-run homer, and Martinez hit his first of the day to make it 4-0. After Baltimore (4-5) cut it to 4-1, Martinez singled to drive in a run, Rafael Devers hit a three-run homerun, and Enrique Hernandez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded all in the fifth inning to increase the advantage to 9-1. Martinez hit his second of the day to right center in the sixth. The Orioles didn’t quit though and would get within three runs when Maikel Franco nailed a three-run homer in the sixth, and then Trey Mancini did the same thing in the seventh inning. The Sox put it away in the eighth when Martinez connected for his third solo long ball on the day and Devers added his second of the game that went for a two-run homerun, as Boston gave Baltimore some payback after the O’s swept them in a three game series to start the season at Fenway Park.
Nick Pivetta (2-0) won his second straight start on the mound for Boston to begin the season allowing four runs on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Martinez had four hits, Xander Bogaerts had three, and Hernandez, Verdugo, and Devers all had two a piece. Devers had five RBI in the game to lead the team. Jorge Lopez (0-2) allowed seven runs in 4.0 innings in the loss for Baltimore. Mancini and Franco both had four RBI to lead the Birds. The Red Sox will begin a four game series on Monday afternoon in Minnesota against the Twins, with left hander Martin Perez taking to the mound for Boston.
