Orioles bat around in third and take six-run lead (O's lead 8-1)
By Roch Kubatko
BOSTON - Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen has a pretty big margin for error this afternoon at Fenway Park.
The Orioles staked him to a 6-0 lead in the third inning, sending 11 batters to the plate and making life real uncomfortable for Boston right-hander Brandon Workman.
Ryan Flaherty had two hits and an RBI in the inning, which didn't include any home runs. The Orioles collected five singles, a double and two walks, and third baseman Carlos Rivero committed an error.
I'm not suggesting that the Red Sox are mailing it in, but I'm told that they're being overnighted to Kansas City for their next series.
I kid, I kid.
Alejandro De Aza, who homered twice and doubled last night, gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead with an RBI single. Adam Jones, who homered last night, followed with a two-run double.
Steve Pearce had a bases-loaded walk after Rivero's error and Chris Davis' bloop single, and Caleb Joseph followed with a run-scoring single.
Flaherty singled to increase the lead to 6-0, but Joseph was tagged out after starting toward third and noticing that Pearce held up.
Jonathan Schoop made the first and last out. He's 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts in the last five games.
Chen has retired all nine batters that he's faced. Apparently, a big lead can't break his concentration.
With a win today, the Orioles would clinch their third straight season series over the Red Sox for the first time since taking four straight from 1964-67.
Earlier today, manager Buck Showalter indicated that he wanted to avoid using three of his relievers. He didn't reveal the names, of course, but he may not need Zach Britton to close unless the Red Sox get feisty and cut into this lead.
Britton has 34 saves in 38 opportunities.
"Zach has been solid," Showalter said. "We couldn't ask for much more from a guy in that role than Zach's given us. The last piece of that bullpen was having somebody you can count on there at the end.
"The thing that's really shown the graduation is how he's handled when he's had some failure, which hasn't been very much, that he's bounced right back. He started doing some things where he's thrown some breaking balls and done some things that have really put him at another level. In Tampa, he pitches a great inning and gives up a run. He wasn't happy about it, but he knew he had done all he could do. He's been very mature about it."
Britton doesn't draw a crowd of reporters at his locker after a save, an indication that it's become more routine.
"Anytime they're around you and you have a lot of media news, that's probably a bad thing, so I take it as a compliment," Britton said. "That's something that's rare. As a starter, you always have the media after an outing, and as a reliever, if you're doing the job, they stay away."
Britton left spring training without a defined role, but he's not ready to slip into a reflective mood.
"It's crazy how things work out, but I think once we accomplish everything we can accomplish this season as a team, I think we'll each as individuals take some time to focus on what we did in the season," he said. "That's stuff we do in the offseason at home with our family, but right now the big picture is finishing our schedule strong and hopefully getting into the postseason and having a good postseason run."
Update: Joseph hit a two-run homer off Crag Breslow in the fifth to increase the lead to 8-0.
Joseph has nine home runs this season.
Flaherty is 3-for-3 today.
Chen has retired all 12 batters that he's faced.
Update II: Chen retired the first 16 batters before Dan Butler doubled off the Green Monster for his first major league hit.
Fun while it lasted.
No Oriole has thrown a perfect game.
Update III: Chen lost his shutout bid in the seventh when Xander Bogaerts led off with his second home run in two games.
Orioles 8, Red Sox 1.
Chen has thrown 93 pitches in seven innings. He's allowed one run and three hits, walked none and struck out four.
Alejandro De Aza, who homered twice and doubled last night, gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead with an RBI single. Adam Jones, who homered last night, followed with a two-run double.
Steve Pearce had a bases-loaded walk after Rivero's error and Chris Davis' bloop single, and Caleb Joseph followed with a run-scoring single.
Flaherty singled to increase the lead to 6-0, but Joseph was tagged out after starting toward third and noticing that Pearce held up.
Jonathan Schoop made the first and last out. He's 1-for-17 with seven strikeouts in the last five games.
Chen has retired all nine batters that he's faced. Apparently, a big lead can't break his concentration.
With a win today, the Orioles would clinch their third straight season series over the Red Sox for the first time since taking four straight from 1964-67.
Earlier today, manager Buck Showalter indicated that he wanted to avoid using three of his relievers. He didn't reveal the names, of course, but he may not need Zach Britton to close unless the Red Sox get feisty and cut into this lead.
Britton has 34 saves in 38 opportunities.
"Zach has been solid," Showalter said. "We couldn't ask for much more from a guy in that role than Zach's given us. The last piece of that bullpen was having somebody you can count on there at the end.
"The thing that's really shown the graduation is how he's handled when he's had some failure, which hasn't been very much, that he's bounced right back. He started doing some things where he's thrown some breaking balls and done some things that have really put him at another level. In Tampa, he pitches a great inning and gives up a run. He wasn't happy about it, but he knew he had done all he could do. He's been very mature about it."
Britton doesn't draw a crowd of reporters at his locker after a save, an indication that it's become more routine.
"Anytime they're around you and you have a lot of media news, that's probably a bad thing, so I take it as a compliment," Britton said. "That's something that's rare. As a starter, you always have the media after an outing, and as a reliever, if you're doing the job, they stay away."
Britton left spring training without a defined role, but he's not ready to slip into a reflective mood.
"It's crazy how things work out, but I think once we accomplish everything we can accomplish this season as a team, I think we'll each as individuals take some time to focus on what we did in the season," he said. "That's stuff we do in the offseason at home with our family, but right now the big picture is finishing our schedule strong and hopefully getting into the postseason and having a good postseason run."
Update: Joseph hit a two-run homer off Crag Breslow in the fifth to increase the lead to 8-0.
Joseph has nine home runs this season.
Flaherty is 3-for-3 today.
Chen has retired all 12 batters that he's faced.
Update II: Chen retired the first 16 batters before Dan Butler doubled off the Green Monster for his first major league hit.
Fun while it lasted.
No Oriole has thrown a perfect game.
Update III: Chen lost his shutout bid in the seventh when Xander Bogaerts led off with his second home run in two games.
Orioles 8, Red Sox 1.
Chen has thrown 93 pitches in seven innings. He's allowed one run and three hits, walked none and struck out four.
LATEST ORIOLES NEWS
LATEST NATIONALS NEWS
About the author
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/