Seven scoreless innings for Dylan Bundy (O's win 2-0)

Dylan Bundy's string of quality starts has stretched to four. It's not a reach to say he's the Orioles' best pitcher in April.

Dealt a bad hand earlier in his professional career due to injuries, Bundy seems to be turning into an ace. He shut out the Red Sox tonight on six hits over seven-plus innings and the Orioles continue to hold a 2-0 lead before an announced crowd of 34,442 at Camden Yards.

Manny Machado hit his third home run of the season in the fifth inning, a shot measured at 421 feet to left-center field.

Bundy is carrying a 1.37 ERA in 26 1/3 innings. He's allowed four runs and 21 hits, walked four and struck out 20.

Donnie Hart entered the game after Christian Vázquez's leadoff single in the eighth, and Bundy left to a standing ovation. Hart walked pinch-hitter Chris Young with the count full, coaxed Dustin Pedroia into flying to the left field track with the count full and got a called third strike on Andrew Benintendi.

Mychal Givens retired Mookie Betts on a pop up, and Bundy could exhale.

dylan-bundy-white.jpgBundy retired 14 of 16 batters to make it through the seventh inning at 101 pitches. Vazquez worked him for seven and lined a single into left field.

Adam Jones gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the third off left-hander Drew Pomeranz. Craig Gentry doubled with one out and took third on a passed ball. Jones lined a single into center field to win an eight-pitch battle.

The double play was Bundy's best friend in the first three innings, when the Red Sox wasted four singles and a J.J. Hardy throwing error.

Pedroia led off the first with a single and was erased on Benintendi's grounder. Score it 6-4-3. Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr. opened the second with singles, but Pablo Sandoval struck out and Vázquez grounded into a double play. Score it 6-4-3. Marco Hernandez led off the third with a single, but Pedroia hit into an odd fielder's choice and Benintendi grounded into a double play. Score it 6-3, with Hardy eliminating the middle man.

Pedroia reached when the Orioles let his pop up fall between first and second base. There was some confusion. How else to explain it? But Chris Davis raced to the ball and flipped it to second.

Bundy finally retired the leadoff hitter in the fourth, inducing a fly ball from Mookie Betts, and recorded a 1-2-3 inning to leave his pitch count at 53. He retired eight in a row before Hernandez's leadoff single in the sixth, an inning that seriously tested Bundy.

Pedroia followed with a walk, but Bundy retired the next three batters on a liner to right field and two pop ups to complete a 22-pitch inning.

The Orioles nearly built on their 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff single by Davis and a two-out walk to Jonathan Schoop - his second this season. Hardy almost bounced a single into left field, but Sandoval made a diving stop to his left and throw from his knees to record the out.

Pomeranz was at 80 pitches through the fourth. He lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs and five hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. He threw 102 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Machado's home run in the fifth came after Gentry walked and was erased on Jones' double play ball. Leading off tonight, Gentry doubled and walked twice.

Update: The Orioles post their second shutout in three games, defeating the Red Sox 2-0.

Brad Brach earned his third save in three nights.

Pedroia left the game in the bottom of the eighth after a hard slide by Machado, whose spikes dug into the second baseman's left calf. The Red Sox clearly were agitated.

Third base coach Brian Butterfield was ejected before Brach threw his first pitch.




Dylan Bundy and three relievers blank Red Sox 2-0
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