Bats join the fun as O's sweep Boston

For Orioles batters, it was like a stroll in the park today. Fenway Park. They came through early and often. The pitchers carried the club to the first two wins in this series and the O's got more solid pitching today. But the batters really broke out the lumber.

Cedric Mullins had five hits, including three doubles, and the O's scored seven runs in the top of the third as they routed the Red Sox 11-3.

They sweep the series and have their first 3-0 start since the 2017 club won its first four. It's the Orioles' first three-game sweep at Fenway Park since Aug. 25-27, 2017. Baltimore is 10-6 in its last 16 games against Boston, dating to Sept. 27, 2019.

When the O's batted 12 in the third inning, they went 6-for-9 in the inning and 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Over the first three innings, as they opened a 10-0 lead, they went 12-for-21 with five doubles and were 7-for-15 with RISP.

Mullins had two doubles in the first two innings and was 4-for-4 by the fourth inning. A quick check of the record book showed Cal Ripken Jr. as the club's single-game record holder for hits. On June 13, 1999, in a Sunday night game at Atlanta, he went 6-for-6 with two doubles, two homers, five runs and six RBIs. The Orioles won 22-1.

Mullins didn't get six hits, but he is the first Oriole to have four hits in the first four innings. He finished 5-for-5 with the three doubles, three runs and a walk. He is batting .692 (9-for-13)

It didn't get that bad (22-1) for Boston today, but it was bad. The Red Sox have never made the playoffs when they start a year going 0-3.

Mullins doubled to lead off against right-hander Garrett Richards to start the day. He hit the ball to a left-center and it would be a theme for O's lefty batters in the early innings this afternoon. They went with the pitch to the opposite field often. Anthony Santander's single to the left side against the shift scored the first run. Later in that frame, third baseman Maikel Franco got the green light on a 3-0 count and ripped a two-run double down the third-base line. It was 3-0.

The seven-run third inning matched the O's scoring total from the first two games. That inning featured six hits and three walks. Austin Hays and Trey Mancini bashed two-run doubles during the outburst.

A down note from the day was Hays leaving the game for a pinch-runner in the third. Pat Valaika came on and Hays was removed due to right hamstring discomfort.

Meanwhile, Baltimorean Bruce Zimmermann picked up his first big league win in his second start and third appearance. The left-hander went six innings, allowing four hits and three runs. Zimmermann walked one and fanned five, throwing 73 pitches, 54 for strikes. He threw first-pitch strikes to 19 of 23 batters.

He came out strong, pitching 1-2-3 innings in the first and second on 10 pitches each inning. He gave up two hits and a run in the last of the third when he sat for a long time as the O's were breaking the game open. Boston's J.D. Martinez led off the fourth with a first-pitch homer.

But O's starters had a nice weekend in Fenway allowing five runs and 11 hits for an ERA of 2.55. They got two quality starts.

After Cole Sulser pitched two scoreless innings, Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells pitched the ninth, making his major league debut. He allowed a hit and walk, but pitched a scoreless inning to wrap up the game.

The Orioles team had some weekend in Fenway. Now it's on to Yankee Stadium.

THE
BIRDS
ARE
BUZZING‼️ pic.twitter.com/0NTIn9xQUc

-- Baltimore Orioles 😷 (@Orioles) April 4, 2021

🚨 MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT 🚨
👦: Tyler Wells
📅: April 4, 2021
🎂: 26 years old pic.twitter.com/lQnnT6sgEU

-- Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) April 4, 2021