Showalter on Britton's MRI, Machado's slide and a 2-0 win

Orioles manager Buck Showalter received encouraging news on closer Zach Britton's MRI from earlier today. Two victories without playing a doubleheader.

"Looked good," Showalter said following a 2-0 win over the Red Sox at Camden Yards. "They did everything. Elbow looked really good. That bodes well obviously down the road. They found what they thought they would find. We're moving forward. Nothing to hold back his continued progress."

Showalter wanted to focus on the game, which included Dylan Bundy's seven scoreless innings and Brad Brach's third save in three nights. However, the Red Sox were fuming over Manny Machado's slide into second baseman Dustin Pedroia in the eighth inning, leaving Showalter to discuss an incident he hadn't viewed on replay.

Machado's spikes dug into Pedroia's left calf after his front foot popped over the bag. Pedroia walked off the field with some assistance, worried about his surgically repaired left knee, and manager John Farrell argued that the "extremely late slide" should have resulted in a double play.

"I haven't got a good look at it yet," Showalter said. "I'd have to look at it. I don't want to talk about something I don't know a whole lot about. You guys would have to tell me. I know it's one of those things that's really unfortunate. You don't like to see those things happen. Hopefully, Dustin's OK.

"I haven't seen the slide. What was illegal about it? I don't really know. I'd have to look at it to react to it. But there's a lot more about that game. I know that's where the drama plays."

Machado came off the bag and grabbed Pedroia in an attempt to hold him up and soften the impact. He insisted later that he wasn't trying to hurt Pedroia and sent him a text message, which hadn't been returned. He also said he didn't expect any retaliation Saturday night.

"We're trying to win a ballgame there," Showalter said. "You could tell his reaction, he felt bad about it. Certainly something you don't like to see happen. Manny's had some challenges there. Schoopy (Jonathan Schoop) some challenges there. They know what it feels like to be in that situation. We lost Jon for a couple months.

"I haven't looked at it, but I know how those things seem to play out now the next day."

Red Sox players kept watching the replay, slowing down the video to examine it frame by frame, according to reporters in the visiting clubhouse.

"That probably could have been a whole lot worse from what we're seeing right now in the training room," Farrell said. "It was an extremely late slide. The argument at the time was if the rule is in place to protect the middle infielder, then it didn't work tonight.

"When you're cleaned out beyond second base and the runner never held second base completely, to me the rule failed tonight. It was a late slide."

A few players couldn't hide their anger on the field and third base coach Brian Butterfield was ejected before Brach threw a pitch in the ninth.

Pedroia didn't want to debate whether a rule had been violated.

"I don't even know what the rule is," he said. "I've turned the best double play in the major leagues for 11 years. I don't need a (expletive) rule."

Bundy exited after Christian Vázquez's leadoff single in the eighth.

"He got a couple key double play balls," Showalter said. "We wiggled out of some things. They set the table quite a few times and we were fortunate to get out of those situations. Changeup came around for him a little later in the game. Used all four and need them. That's a good lineup, obviously.

"We could tell he gained a lot of confidence from last year and felt good physically. There were a lot of things in his favor to get off to a good start. He really came into camp in good shape and arm felt really good and he's taken it and run with it so far."

Donnie Hart and Mychal Givens combined to maintain the shutout in the eight and Brach retired the side again for his third save.

"He threw nine pitches yesterday and 10 pitches the day before, so he felt good," Showalter said. "We checked on him. We're having to do some things differently in the bullpen. Try to stay away from Darren (O'Day) and him too much together.

"We're going to have to do some things with Donnie and Mychal to get through this period. They took advantage of an opportunity and got some key outs. I think a lot of it had to do with the way Brad went through the two innings the last two days and he felt really good today."

Showalter trusted Hart to face the right-handed hitting Pedroia with two on and no outs, and he got a long fly ball to left field.

"Pedroia is a neutral split," Showalter said. "You're picking your poison, left or right. He's not a guy that you're gaining a big advantage. Mychal got a big out with (Mookie) Betts, who's the same way. You could find somebody to throw between their legs and they'd have good at-bats. But we were fortunate. You put that game in that situation with those types of hitters up there, we were fortunate."