Gonzalez hoping to make next start after leaving in fifth inning tonight (plus clubhouse quotes)

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez left tonight's start in the fifth inning with a right groin strain. He had a similar injury in 2012 and did not go on the disabled list. He hopes to avoid the DL again this time and is hopeful of making his next start.

"I hope so. I hope I can. If not, in 2012, kind of did the same thing. Missed a start and I was able to go after that," Gonzalez said after tonight's game.

Gonzalez throwing white side.jpg"Just felt some discomfort and really thought that I could keep going. But it just didn't feel quite right. In the (fourth) inning, on the pitch to Mookie Betts, I felt some discomfort there. But we took care of it. We talked about it, and good thing I left before it got any worse. It's a little sore, but I can walk and move around. So it's not as bad as people probably think."

Gonzalez left after giving up four hits over 4 1/3 innings in the Orioles 1-0 win over Boston. He walked two, struck out one and threw 89 pitches, 60 for strikes.

"This year I've been feeling really good. Just felt it on that last pitch to Mookie Betts," he said. "But, other than that, (I'll) be all right. Treat it and see what happens and hopefully I can make my next start.

"Pretty similar (to 2012). It's not bad though. Good thing I got out of there before it got worse. It's tough, I understand that things are going to happen in the field. That is part of the game. When you are competing, things will happen."

More clubhouse quotes:

Chaz Roe on the key to his success with the O's: "Just throwing quality strikes. Letting the sinker sink down in the zone and letting the slider do what it does. Been getting a lot of help here from Dom (Chiti) and Wally (Dave Wallace), that really helped me out."

Zach Britton on the bullpen being one man down without Brian Matusz, but still coming up big tonight: "We are down a lefty in the bullpen so just be ready for any situation. T.J. (McFarland) and Chaz doing what they have been doing for us is huge. T.J. was a huge part of our bullpen last year, doing stuff like that. He is kind of overshadowed down there and Chaz has been really big for us. And that allows everything to play out the way it did tonight. If those two guys don't do that job, I may not be in that game. Lot of things had to happen for me to get that ball in the eighth."

Britton on getting key strikeouts of David Ortiz and Mike Napoli in the eighth: "Sometimes you need it. My breaking ball can be a strikeout pitch for me. Today was more fastballs, but sometimes you need it. I'm big on pitching to contact and getting groundballs, but I understand there are some situations where you have to go for the strikeout."

Matt Wieters on the pitchers tonight: "It was a great job by the staff. Miggy battled through, and then Mac and Chaz did a great job and Britton finished it off. That is a tough lineup. It's a 1-0 game and lot of good pitches had to go into making that 1-0.

"These games are big, and we've played some good baseball lately and we have to continue to do that to get where we want to go. In this division, you can't give away games that you should win."

Wieters on Eduardo Rodriguez: "He's got special stuff, no doubt about it. We loved him when he was over here. He's got a great arm and, for a young kid, he has a great idea of what he is doing out there. We were able to get his pitches up and finally scratch one across against the bullpen. Next time we'll have to make adjustments and hopefully score a couple off him."

Wieters, were you thinking about your elbow on forceout at third in the eighth?: "No, wasn't even a thought. Which is a good thing. Don't really know until you make the play, but it was a reaction and I'm pretty pleased with that."

The last time the Orioles defeated the Red Sox 1-0 and neither team recorded an RBI was April 9, 1976 (opening day). Orioles first baseman Lee May scored on a throwing error by Sox center fielder Fred Lynn following a single by the O's Bobby Grich. The Orioles have now won nine games in series history by a final score of 1-0 and registered the first such win since Sept. 24, 2000 at Boston. It is the first such win for the O's in series history at home since the 1976 Opening Day win at Memorial Stadium.




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Updating Miguel Gonzalez and wrapping up a 1-0 win
 

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