Orioles battle through injuries to defeat Red Sox 5-4 (updated)

The transitioning of the Orioles roster to a younger look and more prospects populating it can happen with the front office operating the controls or fate intervening.

Wade LeBlanc came out of today's start against the Red Sox in the first inning with discomfort in his left elbow, the severity of the injury unknown until tests are run.

There's never a long wait to speculate on a roster replacement, but the Orioles are going to take it one step at a time

Thomas Eshelman entered the game after an extended warmup, walked his first batter after inheriting a 1-0 count and retired 13 in a row. The Orioles scored three runs in the third inning, Rio Ruiz drove in two more in the seventh to give him four RBIs on the day and the Orioles gained a split of the series with a painful 5-4 victory over the Red Sox at Camden Yards.

Tanner Scott earned his first career save after Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth. Scott inherited a runner from Mychal Givens, who was charged with his first run of the season.

By winning the last two games, the Orioles returned to the .500 mark at 14-14 before embarking on a two-city road trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., and Buffalo.

By plowing through the Red Sox lineup, Eshelman tossed his hat into the rotation ring if LeBlanc is headed to the injured list.

Eshelman's streak was alive when manager Brandon Hyde brought in Miguel Castro to start the top of the sixth. No runs or hits from the soft-tossing Eshelman, who threw 37 of 54 pitches for strikes.

Rushing into a game on the shortest of notice didn't fluster Eshelman.

"That was my first time ever doing that in my entire career," he said. "I've seen other guys do that and I felt for them, so for me to be able to do that ... Like I've always said, just try to give my team the ability to win and I just came in and pounded strikes and tried to get the team back in the dugout real quick. It was definitely an interesting experience for me."

Said Hyde: "Tommy won us the game, getting 13 outs. That's the third time he's pitched in five days and for him to go 4 1/3 and really just locating everything so well. Not a ton of hard contact, just a really great job of pitching. Did a great job of keeping the score right there for us."

Xander Bogaerts had an RBI double in the sixth, but the Red Sox failed to tie the game after Pat Valaika fielded Christian Vázquez's ground ball and threw home for the out. Castro struck out Michael Chavis to end the inning after getting a generous call on a previous pitch that appeared low.

LeBlanc motioned to the dugout after throwing his 14th pitch of the afternoon. He served up a leadoff home run to Kevin Pillar, retired the next two batters, walked Bogaerts and couldn't ignore the pain after his 65.7 mph curveball to Vázquez.

"He's going to get checked out, an MRI tomorrow, so we'll have a lot more information after tomorrow," Hyde said.

The training staff was kept busy today.

Head athletic trainer Brian Ebel sprung into action after Renato Núñez singled off the left field fence, was out at second base to end the sixth inning and stayed on his back. Ebel paused to make certain that it wasn't just frustration getting to Núñez, who walked with a careful stride toward the dugout to retrieve his mitt.

Valaika replaced Núñez at first base in the ninth.

Pedro Severino beat out an infield hit to lead off the seventh and exited the game with right hip flexor tightness. Assistant athletic trainer Patrick Wesley checked on Severino, who jogged up the first base line and was told by Hyde to leave the game - the instructions coming with a pat on the butt.

"He's also getting looked at and we'll have more information there, too," Hyde said. "He wanted to stay in the game and the flexor tightened up on him a little bit.

"We'll have to wait and see with both those guys (LeBlanc and Severino), so I don't want to jump to conclusions on either one of them. We'll wait until we see the results and have more information tomorrow. But we're going to enjoy this win and hoping that both guys are OK."

The first inning lasted 37 minutes and Red Sox starter Zack Godley accepted much of the blame.

LeBlanc had a sore elbow. Godley hurt the pace of the game.

Godley loaded the bases before getting a called third strike on Valaika. He followed Cedric Mullins' leadoff double by retiring the next two batters, walking Severino and hitting Chance Sisco.

The Orioles put runners on the corners in the second without scoring and Godley walked the bases loaded in the third before leaving the game. He threw 70 pitches in 2 2/3 innings. It was just as painful as anything LeBlanc felt in his elbow.

Ruiz greeted left-hander Jeffrey Springs with a two-run single to right field and Andrew Velazquez reached on a bunt single that scored Ryan Mountcastle and gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead.

Mountcastle collected his first major league hit last night with an infield single, and he celebrated his first extra-base hit today with a double down the left field line in the second. He walked in the third, giving him three in three major league games, and doubled again in the fifth.

Hyde won't go with a set lineup, but he seems comfortable with Mountcastle in left field, Núñez at first base and a selection of players rotating at designated hitter - including one of his three catchers on the roster. Mason Williams replaced Mountcastle in the top of the eighth.

Anthony Santander is staying in right field. He doubled today to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, the club's longest since Nick Markakis strung together 18 in a row in 2014.

Ruiz's two-run double in the bottom of the seventh came after singles by Severino and Sisco and Valaika's sacrifice bunt. Mountcastle struck out, but Ruiz launched a ball over Pillar's head in left.

Ruiz didn't have an RBI in his last seven games. Today's four RBIs are a career high. He collected only three hits in his previous nine games and 27 at-bats.

"I honestly didn't feel any different at all," he said. "Obviously, it's different. I'm four or five spots lower than I have been. But I've been working, man. I understand what I've been going through. It's frustrating, but I kept working and working. That's the best you can do."

Paul Fry tossed a scoreless seventh inning, with Ruiz making a diving stop and throw to second base to get the force. Fry struck out Rafael Devers to open the eighth and Givens secured four outs. Scott sprinkled in some tension, including Jonathan Araúz's single that followed Bradley's home run, but he notched the save.

The Orioles are off Monday before beginning a three-game series against the Rays. Hyde will endure the usual confinement in 2020.

Lower your expectations, make the most of it and be glad to have a club playing .500 ball for the first time this late since 2017. And for the rest coming to players who were hurting today.

"What's an off-day look like for me? Well, I don't have many of them," Hyde said earlier today in his Zoom conference call.

"It's going to be some Starbucks when I wake up. A little Starbucks. Possibly some Netflix. And some Grubhub. That's about it.

"I'm trying to get back into 'Ozark,' season three. Started it, haven't gotten to finish it yet, but I'm looking forward to getting ... Maybe this road trip. Might be an 'Ozark' road trip."

Unfortunately for the Orioles, injury updates also will be part of the off-day. Something Hyde hadn't anticipated this morning.

No one did.

"Thoughts and prayers with those guys," Eshelman said. "Hopefully they're back quick. Obviously, you don't want to see a teammate go down with an injury, but during the middle of the game, your main mindset is to get that win that night and it's the next man up at that point. But after the game's done, after we get the win, we're always thinking of those guys that are in that scenario. Hopefully, everything's all right with them."

"That's tough, man," Ruiz said. "It started with Wade. You hate to see him go. He's a big arm for us. Pounds the zone. Some days, they're just putting barrels on the ball. But he keeps us active, keeps us ready to go and we look forward to playing behind him every single outing. Prayers to him and whatever's going on. Sevie there, that was tough to see, too. He's a big part of our lineup, but I think he's going to be OK. He's a gamer and he's going to play through anything."