BOSTON - Ubaldo Jimenez has walked three batters in three innings tonight, bringing back memories of his struggles to locate the plate in 2014. However, he's held the Red Sox without a run or hit and is holding a 1-0 lead.
Jimenez walked Pablo Sandoval and Shane Victorino in the second, but Xander Bogaerts grounded to third baseman Manny Machado, who raced to the bag for the force. Mookie Betts walked with one out in the third, but Dustin Pedroia grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Jimenez has thrown 53 pitches in three innings, He's allowed one hit in 10 innings this season.
Chris Davis doubled off the Green Monster in left field with one out in the second and Caleb Joseph walked with two outs, but Everth Cabrera struck out.
Travis Snider and Adam Jones opened the fourth with singles to put runners on the corners with no outs. Davis grounded into a 4-6-3 double play as Snider scored to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead against Red Sox starter Joe Kelly.
Jones is batting .565 (13-for-23) with four home runs, nine RBIs and nine runs scored in his last seven games.
Joseph began tonight batting .375 and he remained in the seventh spot in the order.
"I said all along, Caleb has a really good track record offensively in the minor leagues," Showalter said. "Whether it be Jonathan Schoop or Manny or him, most of those guys start kind of figuring it out the second year. I've said many times it's the biggest jump in sports from the minor leagues to the big leagues and just about all of it has to do with the level of pitching. You see quality pitching every night, not only starters but bullpen guys, and you start kind of figuring out who you are and who you're not.
"Caleb, he's always been a threat offensively, but he just concentrated so much on his catching last year. Sometimes, you keep telling guys, 'It's all about your defense and the other stuff will take care of itself,' and somebody can take it too far, I think. But not in his case. So, it doesn't surprise anybody.
"For a long time there, a lot of people were talking years ago about whether he'd be able to catch up here or not, so I think the last thing I worry about with him is offensively. I wasn't counting on it, but I knew there was a possibility that he and Jon and even Manny, the young guys, could reach another level because they're capable of it as they gain experience."
Joseph threw out 40 percent of runners attempting to steal last season. He's 0-for-4 this season, but he continues to provide solid work behind the plate.
"How many offensive catchers that are considered good defenders are there in baseball?" Showalter asked. "Name one. (Buster) Posey, (Matt) Wieters. It's really hard to find and it seemed like the better they hit, the less you hear about them defensively, but I think it's kind of the evolution of the game a little bit.
"You get four at-bats and you're involved in 150 decisions behind the plate. It still amazes me. Guys that were good offensive players in the majors leagues as a catcher and were good defenders, that's an amazing combination with the stress that's on catchers every night physically."
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