Mike Wright holds Red Sox to one run in five innings (Orioles win 5-3)

ORIOLES QUICK WRAP

Score: Orioles 5, Red Sox 3

Recap: Mike Wright allowed one run and four hits in five innings, with two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 81 pitches before coming out. Chris Young hit a solo home run off Wright in the second. Tyler Wilson allowed two hits in two scoreless innings. Good friends, good outings. Xavier Avery led off the first inning with his second home run. Paul Janish had an RBI single later in the inning after the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs. Nolan Reimold and Francisco Pena homered in the fifth and Reimold had an RBI single in the seventh. The Red Sox scored twice off Brad Brach in the eighth, one run coming Ozzie Martinez's throwing error. Donnie Hart replaced him with the bases loaded and two outs and got a ground ball. Mychal Givens retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

Need to know: The Orioles have won five in a row and are 10-14-4. Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard tripled and scored in the first, the hit momentarily raising his average to .407 (22-for-54). Reimold also walked and has hit three home runs and eight hits in his last four games. Pedro Alvarez made a leaping catch at first base and stepped on the bag for a double play in the first inning. Avery also doubled, walked and stole a base. Rick Porcello picked off Julio Borbon at first base. Borbon had a bunt single and also threw out Hanley Ramirez trying to stretch a single into a double.

On deck: Tuesday, vs. Braves in Sarasota, 6:05 p.m. on MASN
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FORT MYERS, Fla. - As the Orioles continue to set their rotation for opening day, the importance of Mike Wright's outing today can't be understated.

The same is true of Tyler Wilson's relief appearance that follows. But let's start with the starter.

Wright allowed one run and four hits over five innings, with two walks, two strikeouts and a home run. He escaped a jam in the first inning, was ambushed by Chris Young in the second, danced away from more trouble in the third and fourth, and retired the side in order in the fifth as Wilson began to warm in the bullpen.

Wright threw 81 pitches, 49 for strikes. The five innings matched his longest outing, when he shut out the Twins on March 17.

Xavier Avery led off the top of the first with a home run to left field and the Orioles tacked on another run against Red Sox starter Rick Porcello, who loaded the bases with no outs. Wright had been staked to an early lead.

It expanded to 4-1 in the sixth on home runs by Nolan Reimold and Francisco Pena. Reimold has hit three homers and collected seven hits in the past four games.

Talk about getting hot at the right time.

Wright fell into immediate trouble in the bottom of the first on singles by Jackie Bradley Jr. and Dustin Pedroia, but first baseman Pedro Alvarez made a leaping catch of Xander Bogaerts' liner and stepped on the bag for a double play, and David Ortiz flied to right field.

Ortiz almost made it halfway up the line as Joey Rickard camped under the ball. The crowd erupted anyway, trying to collectively will the ball to clear the fence in his final game at JetBlue Park.

Young hit a long home run to left with two outs in the second, pausing briefly to admire it. Blake Swihart struck out looking to end the inning.

Wright stranded Pedroia in the third after walking him with two outs, though it required that he take a Bogaerts comebacker off his leg. He was at 47 pitches.

Two more runners were stranded in the fourth after a one-out single and walk. Wright struck out Young to gain a measure of revenge. He was at 66 pitches after Swihart popped up to Pena at catcher.

Rickard, the Rule 5 sensation, tripled after Avery's home run and scored with one out on Paul Janish's single into right field. Alvarez and Reimold walked and Garabez Rosa struck out before Janish came to the plate.

Hyun Soo Kim stayed back in camp again and worked out in the morning. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Tribune is reporting that the Orioles are interested in left-handed hitting outfielder Matt Joyce, who homered today for the second time in four games.

Joyce has intrigued the Orioles in the past. It's a long list if you're counting outfielders.

Update: Reimold singled to score Avery, who walked, and increase the lead to 5-1 in the seventh. He also stole second base.

Reimold has eight hits in his last four games.