Orioles settle for split with 7-3 loss

A pitch in the dirt, a wild throw and a broken tie.

It happened that quickly.

The Red Sox scored two unearned runs off Chris Tillman in the sixth inning on catcher Francisco Peña's error to take the lead and they kept the Orioles in third place with a 7-3 victory before an announced crowd of 31,819 at Camden Yards.

Andrew Benintendi recorded his first multi-homer game, his solo shot off Mike Wright in the seventh inning expanding Boston's lead. Benintendi added an RBI single off Richard Bleier in the ninth, the run also charged to Wright.

Benintendi tied his career high with three RBIs. He's done it twice against the Orioles.

The Orioles settle for a split of their four-game series while dropping to 29-26 overall, 21-13 in the American League East and 19-10 at home. They remain 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Yankees.

Tillman was charged with three earned runs (five total) and six hits in six innings, with four walks, three strikeouts and a home run. He threw 103 pitches, 59 for strikes.

"A lot of it has got to do with who you're facing," said manager Buck Showalter. "They make you grind. And Chris held it together, gave us a chance to win. I thought he was better than last time out. A little crisper earlier, found his way and gave us a chance against a really good pitcher and a good team."

The walks hurt, as they so often do. Two of them in the first inning, followed by Jackie Bradley Jr.'s two-run single.

"Yeah, he's not the only one," Showalter said. "We ended up with five walks today, which extends pitches. You know, warm day, you're making them work more than he already is. You've got to keep in mind, too, they're the guys who take close pitches that a lot of people swing at. They make you do that."

Tillman retired nine in a row before Mitch Moreland singled to lead off the sixth. Bradley and Pablo Sandoval walked with one out to load the bases, but Tillman came within a strike of escaping the jam.

Sandy Leon struck out and Deven Marrero fell behind 0-2. Tillman buried a knuckle-curve in the dirt, Peña blocked the ball and fired it to third base in an attempt to nab Moreland. He missed his intended target, however, and two runs scored as the ball rolled up the left field line.

"What I saw was an unbelievable stop on a wild pitch," Showalter said. "It's one of those things, you see and you go for it. It's just a tough lane to throw through. We weren't able to get an out there. But I'm more about blocking the pitch. I try to dwell on that part of it. I'm more about that part of it.

"Unbelievable block. I don't know how these guys do what they do."

Peña tilted back his head in disgust, eyes skyward, knowing that his throw might decide the outcome of the game.

"It was a tough play right there, a tough block," Pena said. "I had it in front of me. I just think I hesitated a little bit. I didn't see Manny (Machado) because Moreland was right in front of the line. I just tried to be too quick, tried to put a perfect throw and I messed it up right there and I just cut the ball a little bit too much and it went by Manny."

The Orioles worked left-hander Chris Sale for 39 pitches in the first inning while scoring three runs to erase the Red Sox's 2-0 lead. Sale had been dominant in the opening frame before today, allowing no runs and one hit with 17 strikeouts in 11 innings.

Sale gave up three runs on a single, two doubles, a walk and a double steal executed by Joey Rickard and Machado.

Chris Davis singled in two of the runs and scored on the first of Jonathan Schoop's two doubles. Schoop leads the Orioles with 17 doubles.

There wouldn't be any more runs for the Orioles. Sale's pitch count grew to 56 after two innings - Adam Jones made him throw 10 before striking out - but the left-hander cleared six innings on 110 pitches.

"You figure he's going to get right and pitch," Showalter said. "We were fortunate, Chris got a jam shot over there and we got deep in counts with some foul balls. But winning those first two games and trying to take a shot at those two guys, it's a challenge especially when their team is in need like it is.

"I think he found his way and got through. You knew when they scored and got ahead he was going to go to another level. He was good, but I thought our guys were good off him. They've got a bunch of good arms. You look at all the arms they run out at you, it's a challenge."

The Orioles won't face the Red Sox again until August at Fenway Park, the teams having already played 13 games against each other. Showalter isn't celebrating the break.

"No, not at all," he said. "We don't live in that world. Pittsburgh scored 11 runs today. Another challenge around the corner. I'm more happy our guys are going to finally get an off-day at home before we play 20 games in a row. So, it starts up again.

"No, it has nothing to do with (Boston). Good teams every day. These are the best players in the world."