Gausman is great again while outdueling Porcello

BOSTON - The Orioles weren't going to shower Kevin Gausman with runs tonight. The heavy stuff arrived earlier, cancelling batting practice and forcing the tarp onto the field. The offensive support again would amount to a trickle.

Mark Trumbo hit his 42nd home run on the first pitch in the top of the second inning to give the Orioles an early lead. His 100 RBIs tie his career high set in 2013.

Nice way to barrel into your free agent year.

Who knew that Trumbo's shot to left field would provide the only run? Probably Gausman, who won a magnificent duel with Rick Porcello in a 1-0 victory over the Red Sox before 37,973 at Fenway Park.

Gausman blanked the Red Sox on four hits over eight innings, with one walk and six strikeouts. Porcello, the 20-game winner who was 13-0 at Fenway Park, held the Orioles to four hits in eight innings, walked none, struck out six and retired 17 in a row before J.J. Hardy's one-out single in the eighth.

Zach Britton worked the ninth and notched his 43rd save in as many opportunities.

The Orioles (80-65) trail the first-place Red Sox by one game in the American League East and hold the first wild card spot. Their road record improved to 35-40. They've won four straight series and tonight posted their eighth shutout.

The Orioles have supported Gausman with one run or fewer in 10 of his 27 starts. He hasn't needed a whole lot of help, allowing only three runs in his last five outings over 33 innings, with seven walks, 32 strikeouts and no home runs. He hasn't surrendered a run in four of those starts and his ERA is down to 3.43.

Hanley Ramirez reached on an infield hit with one out in the seventh and Chris Young dropped a soft single over Hardy's glove with two outs to threaten the lead. But Sandy Leon struck out on Gausman's 104th pitch, a nasty splitter, as Mychal Givens began to warm.

Gausman came back out for the eighth and retired the side in order, his 120 pitches a career high. He threw 116 on July 23 against the Indians.

Gausman didn't allow a hit until Mookie Betts' two-out single in the fourth inning. David Ortiz reached in the first when Matt Wieters dropped his popup, and Ramirez walked to lead off the second before Shaw grounded into a double play.

Ramirez struck out looking to end the fourth and strand Betts, Gausman's 59th pitch of the night.

Shaw led off the bottom of the fifth with a single into right field. Young popped up, Leon struck out and stared at Gausman before turning toward the dugout, and Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out.

Gausman retired the side in order in the sixth to leave his pitch count at 85.

Porcello stayed in the game after being hit on the left calf by Hardy's comebacker in the second inning. Hardy reached on an infield hit as Porcello hopped off the mound.

Porcello threw a couple of warmup tosses, convinced manager John Farrell that he was fine and retired the next 17 batters.

The wind may have robbed Adam Jones of a home run leading off the top of the third, the ball dying in front of the Green Monster in left field. Jones also flied to deep center field in the first and saw 16 pitches in his first two at-bats.