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Sox Buehler Tosses a Quality Win

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s starter Walker Buehler worked a seven-inning quality start and got the support of four solo home runs as the Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 in the rubber game of a three-game series on Wednesday.

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Marcelo Mayer homered in each of the first two at-bats, with the 22-year-old rookie becoming the youngest Red Sox player to produce a multi-homer game since Rafael Devers in 2018.

Jarren Duran hit a leadoff home run in the first inning and Abraham Toro socked the eventual game-winning shot in the fifth after Tampa Bay erased a 3-1 deficit.

Toro and Ceddanne Rafaela joined Mayer with multi-hit games for Boston, which has won back-to-back series.

Buehler (5-4) struck out seven while yielding three runs on six hits and one walk. Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save.

Yandy Diaz (two-run homer), Brandon Lowe and Jake Mangum all had two hits for Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay right-hander Zack Littell (6-6) allowed all four Boston homers in his six-inning outing. He permitted eight hits, fanned six and didn’t issue a walk.

After Buehler stranded two baserunners to post a first-inning zero, Duran bashed Littell’s first pitch of the game into the right-center-field bullpen give the hosts a quick 1-0 lead.

The Rays quickly responded as back-to-back singles by Mangum and Matt Thaiss set the table for a game-tying run in the second. Lowe knocked in Mangum on a fielder’s-choice grounder to shortstop.

Mayer singlehandedly put the Red Sox back in front and provided insurance with his solo shots. His first homer led off the second inning, landing deep in the right field corner.

Mayer went deep again with one out in the fourth, sending another homer to a similar location in right.

Two-out offense drew Tampa Bay even in the fifth. After Lowe chopped an infield single on an open left side, Diaz deposited a two-run homer into the first rows of the right field seats.

After Littell recorded three straight outs by strikeout in the fourth and fifth, Toro cranked a homer out to straightaway center for a 4-3 edge.

Buehler retired seven straight to finish his outing before Justin Wilson and Greg Weissert combined to get out of an eighth-inning jam, preserving the one-run Boston lead. A walk to Junior Caminero and a Mangum single off Weissert loaded the bases, but Thaiss fanned to end the threat.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Diggs Stays Mumm

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FOXBOROUGH – At the final practice of Patriots mandatory minicamp in Massachusetts on Tuesday, newly acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs spoke with reporters but did not address a viral video that has inspired speculation about his future with the team.

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In the video, posted to social media, Diggs is seen enjoying himself on a boat with three bikini-clad women that included top-selling rapper Cardi B, but he’s also seen brandishing a plastic bag filled with a mysterious pink substance.

The 31-year-old Diggs has refrained from speaking about the incident, and did so again Tuesday despite some observers wondering if the four-time Pro Bowler could be in hot water with either his new team or the NFL at large.

First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel spoke recently on the importance of players making “good decisions.”

“I kind of keep my personal life personal,” Diggs said. “I had a conversation with Vrabel, obviously, and I’m going to echo everything that he said. Hope everyone makes good decisions. I had some conversations with people in the building as well. So, everything else is everything else, and the particulars are all internal.”

A First-Team All-Pro in 2020, Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots in March.

He has described his rapport with Vrabel as being positive and expressed admiration for Vrabel’s championship pedigree.

“I’m a huge fan of him,” Diggs said. “I can’t wait to play for him. He’s got that itch that you want to run through a wall for him. I look forward to it. Me and him go back and forth in practice, and I’m not even participating.”

A year ago, Diggs played in just eight games for the Houston Texans due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, breaking a string of six straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. He has amassed 857 receptions for 10,491 yards and 70 touchdowns during his 10-year career split among the Minnesota Vikings (2015-19), Buffalo Bills (2020-23) and Texans (2024).

–Field Level Media

Sox Call Up Roman Anthony

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -First, it was infielder/utility man Kristian Campbell. Next, was infielder Marcelo Mayer. Today, it was the third amigo in outfielder Roman Anthony, touted as the No. 1 prospect in Major League Baseball.

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The Boston Red Sox called up Anthony from Triple-A Worcester ahead of tonight’s home game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Anthony will start in right field and bat fifth for the Red Sox tonight. The left-handed hitter takes the spot that belonged to Wilyer Abreu, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain.

Anthony, the team’s second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, forged a .288/.423/.491 slash line in 58 games for Worcester this season. He posted 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 265 plate appearances — highlighted by a grand slam on Saturday that flew well over the right-center wall and was estimated at 497 feet.

“We’re trying to win ballgames,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “The kid has done an amazing job throughout (prospect development) getting ready for this moment. We’re excited. It’s a big day for the organization … we’ll use him the right way and we’ll help him with the adjustments that comes with being a big-leaguer.”

The Red Sox (32-35) now have elevated all three of their elite hitting prospects to the bigs. Second baseman/outfielder Campbell broke spring training with Boston and, after a red-hot start, has settled in with a .233 average, six homers and 20 RBIs in 58 games.

Mayer was called up two weeks ago when third basemen Alex Bregman went on the injured list with a quadriceps issue. Installed at third base where he had little experience, Mayer has posted a .222/.282/.361 slash line with one homer and two errors in 12 games.

Abreu ranks second on the Red Sox with 13 homers, complementing a .245 batting average with 32 RBIs.

–Field Level Media

NHL: Bruins Name Strum Head Coach

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Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney that Marco Sturm was named the 30th head coach of the Boston Bruins.

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“We’re proud to name Marco as the 30th Head Coach of the Boston Bruins and welcome him, Astrid, Mason, and Kaydie to Boston,” said General Manager Don Sweeney. “Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively. We were also looking for a communicator and leader – someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room. Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. His path – playing for multiple NHL teams, coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL and NHL levels – has shaped a well-rounded coach who’s earned this opportunity. As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans. We’re embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.”
“I’m incredibly honored to be named head coach of the Boston Bruins,” said Sturm. “I want to thank Charlie Jacobs and the Jacobs family, Cam Neely, and Don Sweeney for trusting me with this opportunity. Boston has always held a special place in my heart, and I know how much this team means to the city and to our fans. I’ve felt that passion as a player, and I can’t wait to be behind the bench and feel it again. I’m excited to get to work and do everything I can to help this team succeed.”
Sturm, 46, served as head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the past three seasons (2022-25). Under Sturm, the team compiled an overall record of 119-80-11-6 and made three consecutive playoff appearances. Prior to his time in Ontario, Sturm spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 2018-22. In his final year behind the bench with Los Angeles, the Kings earned their first Stanley Cup playoff berth since 2018 and posted a 99-point regular-season (44-27-11).
Before joining the Kings organization, Sturm served as head coach and general manager for the German Men’s National Team from 2015-18. In 2018, Sturm led Germany to a silver-medal finish in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, becoming the first German team to ever appear in the gold-medal game and the first German team to make the Olympic podium since 1976. Sturm’s coaching tenure with Germany was additionally highlighted by a Deutschland Cup title in 2015 and back-to-back quarterfinal appearances (2016, 2017) at the IIHF Men’s World Championship, the best final placement for Germany since 2011.
As a player, Sturm skated in 938 career NHL games with Florida, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Boston and San Jose from 1997-2012, recording 242 goals and 245 assists for 487 points with a plus-59 rating. He scored the game-winning overtime goal for the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Flyers at the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. The Dingolfing, Germany native was originally selected by San Jose in the first round (21st overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He leads all German players for most NHL games played and ranks second for career goals and career points. Internationally, he represented Germany at three Olympic Games (1998, 2002, 2010), four IIHF Men’s World Championships (1997, 2001, 2004, 2008) and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Red Sox Try to Move Forward

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – For manager Alex Cora and the Boston Red Sox, it’s all about moving forward.

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Following a weekend series win in Atlanta, the Red Sox (29-32) look to continue down the right track when they begin a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Garrett Crochet pitched the Red Sox to a 3-1 Sunday win to clinch the series over the Braves, striking out a season-high 12 over seven innings of one-run ball. A three-run double by Trevor Story in the first inning proved to be all the support the left-hander would need.

Climbing out of a five-game skid with the series victory was a start, but there’s plenty more room to grow, especially with younger players such as Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell playing everyday roles.

“Now we need more,” Cora said. “We have to be better. I know we’re young, but we expect better from this group. I think the expectations are high for this organization. We’ve got to put everything behind us.”

Richard Fitts (0-2, 2.70 ERA) is back in the Red Sox rotation, having been activated from the injured list (right pectoral strain) to make a Tuesday start against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched three innings of scoreless, two-hit ball in Boston’s fourth straight loss at the time.

Monday will mark his fifth start this season and the first of his career against the Angels.

The Red Sox placed another righty on the injured list in Justin Slaten (right shoulder inflammation) before Sunday’s game, recalling Luis Guerrero from Triple-A Worcester.

“Just a matter of getting ahead of it and taking care of it before something major could happen,” Slaten said.

Cora had also planned to give Campbell his first start at first base, but Abraham Toro continued to swing the bat well in Atlanta. He went 6-for-11 in the series.

“Toro’s pushing the envelope,” Cora said. “He’s putting up good at-bats.”

The Angels suffered a 4-2 Sunday loss at the Cleveland Guardians, as they were no-hit through five innings and wound up dropping their third straight series. They now have a series losing streak in Cleveland that dates back to 2013.

Despite another series loss, the return of three-time American League MVP Mike Trout, who missed almost a full month with a bone bruise on his left knee, was a big lift.

Trout went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in Saturday’s 7-5 loss and had a pinch-hit RBI on Sunday. He was hitting just .179 in 29 games before the injury.

“It’s just awesome watching him play,” said Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who played college baseball in New England at Dartmouth College. “Growing up as a fan of the game, it’s really cool being around him every day.”

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Trout was out of Sunday’s starting lineup after back-to-back days as the designated hitter, but was called upon as a pinch-hitter and delivered an RBI single.

“He’ll be back in there when we get to Boston,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.

The Angels hand the ball to 35-year-old lefty Tyler Anderson (2-2, 3.39), who has made just four career starts against Boston after spending the first seven years of his career in the National League. He is 1-1 with a 5.30 career ERA in the head-to-head series.

Anderson, who has not won since April 18, last pitched on Tuesday against another American League East foe, the New York Yankees. He allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings but suffered his second loss.

–Field Level Media

Saturday Baseball: Sox at Braves

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ATLANTA – (Wire Servi ce Report) – Boston’s Rafael Devers will have one final chance to pad his statistics for May when the Red Sox visit the Braves for the second game of their three-game interleague series this afternoon.

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Devers went 2-for-4 with a two-run single on Friday to continue his month-long offensive surge. In 27 games in May, Devers is batting .370 (37-for-100) with 14 runs, five doubles, seven homers, 33 RBIs and 22 walks. It is the second time in his career that Devers has driven in 30-plus runs in a month, the most recent time coming in July 2019, when he recorded 34 RBIs.

The Red Sox ended their five-game losing streak by beating the Braves 5-1 on Friday to even the season series at 2-2. The Braves have dropped seven of their past nine games to fall four games under .500.

The starting matchup on Saturday will feature a pair of right-handers — Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4, 3.42 ERA) and Boston’s Walker Buehler (4-2, 3.95).

Schwellenbach is scheduled to make his 12th start. He saw his two-game winning streak broken on Sunday by the San Diego Padres after pitching seven innings for the third straight outing. He allowed four runs (two unearned) and matched his career high with 11 strikeouts in a 5-3 loss.

“This is a team of fighters and a lot of really good players,” Schwellenbach said. “We know we should be in every game and win every game. We have all the confidence that we’re going to play better baseball.”

Schwellenbach beat the Red Sox on May 18 when he allowed four runs in seven innings of a 10-4 win. In two career starts against Boston, he is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA.

Buehler is set to make his ninth start of the season and is coming off a 5-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, when he pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and two walks. That appearance followed a start against the New York Mets, his first since spending time on the injured list with bursitis in his right shoulder. He didn’t last long; he was ejected after 2 1/3 scoreless innings for arguing balls and strikes.

“Obviously I wanted to create a little bit more momentum than I did,” Buehler said after that game. “Super disappointing for me. Sometimes getting on the road and kind of having the group together can kind of help out. I think that’s the goal this week.”

Atlanta continues to struggle offensively. Even Ozzie Albies, who had been batting .346 since May 13, went hitless on Friday to see his 14-game hitting streak end.

The Braves placed right-hander A.J. Smith-Shawver on the 60-day injured list Friday with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will cost him the rest of the season, and they put outfielder Stuart Fairchild on the 10-day IL with a dislocated pinky finger. Atlanta called up left-hander Dylan Dodd and outfielder Jose Azocar from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned right-hander Michael Petersen.

The Braves will recall right-hander Bryce Elder to make the start on Sunday. That will allow the team to give the entire staff an additional day of rest. Spencer Strider is scheduled to start the series opener against Arizona on Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox: Missing Persons on Offense

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MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The visiting Boston Red Sox will be looking to rediscover their suddenly missing offense when they face the Milwaukee Brewers today in the middle game of a three-game set.

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Right-hander Aaron Civale (0-1, 9.00 ERA) starts for the Brewers while the Red Sox have yet to name a starter.

Milwaukee took the series opener 3-2 on Monday. Jackson Chourio homered on the first pitch from Garrett Crochet to jump-start the Brewers. The Red Sox did not answer until they scored one run in the eighth, then they left the bases loaded in the ninth after making it a one-run game.

It was the third consecutive loss for Boston, which had scored one run in each of its two previous defeats. The Red Sox left 10 on base Monday, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

“I think that we have a lot of faith in our offense,” said Crochet, who allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 11. “At any given moment we’re going to break out and the rest of the season we’re going to forget about these first two months.

“I think that the most important part is that we’re getting in the situations to have success,” he said. “And eventually the ball’s going to go our way.”

Rookie catcher Carlos Narvaez extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the eighth. He is hitting .414 over that span with four doubles and a homer.

Civale will make his second start for Milwaukee since coming off the injured list due to a strained left hamstring, which he suffered on March 30 in his first start of the season. In his first start back, the 29-year-old allowed two runs on four hits in four innings of an 8-5 win on Thursday at Pittsburgh. He threw 73 pitches but did not get the decision.

Civale was 6-3 in 14 starts with Milwaukee last season after being acquired in July from Tampa Bay. Civale is 1-1 with a 4.95 ERA in four career starts vs. Boston.

Catcher William Contreras drew two walks Monday and has reached safely in his last 11 games, hitting .324 with 11 walks over that span.

Hours after being activated from the 60-day injured list (left lat strain), DL Hall picked up the win Monday in his first appearance of the season. He allowed one run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Despite going 3-0 in four starts with a 1.71 ERA, rookie right-hander Logan Henderson was sent back to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Hall.

The move was to provide some bullpen depth for the Brewers, who still have starters Jose Quintana, Brandon Woodruff and Nestor Cortes on the shelf. Quintana and Woodruff are close to returning.

 

Orioles Get the Best of Red Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore outfielder Ryan O’Hearn went 3-for-3 with a double and a home run while Dean Kremer pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings as the Baltimore Orioles earned their second straight win over the Boston Red Sox with a 5-1 decision on Sunday afternoon.

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The Orioles scored a single run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take the lead for good, with O’Hearn following up Dylan Carlson’s fifth-inning solo shot for Baltimore’s second homer in as many innings in the sixth.

Kremer (4-5) struck out four and scattered seven hits in his start.

Jarren Duran was 4-for-5 from the top of the lineup for Boston, which left nine runners on base. Carlos Narvaez, rookie Marcelo Mayer and Abraham Toro each had two hits.

After stranding two in the first inning and grounding into a 4-6-3 double play to end the second, Baltimore scratched across an opening run after Gunnar Henderson drew a leadoff walk against Boston starter Walker Buehler (4-2) in the fourth.

Henderson then went first-to-third on O’Hearn’s ground ball single to right before crossing the plate for a 1-0 lead on a Ramon Urias sacrifice fly to center.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox could not convert on several opportunities to get on the scoreboard, leaving two on base after Duran’s leadoff singles in both the first and third innings. In the fourth, Toro dropped a one-out double down the right-field line but was stranded on third.

Baltimore extended its lead using the long ball, making it 2-0 when Carlson hit a solo shot toward the right-field pole in the fifth for his first homer of the season.

After Greg Weissert recorded the first out in relief of Buehler in the sixth, O’Hearn carried another fly out to right-center and into the bullpen for a 3-0 Baltimore lead.

Two relay throwing errors on O’Hearn’s double to the right-center wall allowed Baltimore to tally twice in the eighth.

Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela’s throw hit O’Hearn standing on second base and kicked away on the infield, bringing Henderson in to score. Mayer then picked up the ball and sailed a throw over third to help O’Hearn circle the bases.

Mayer — who was playing in his second career MLB game — doubled and scored on a Toro RBI single to center in the home half of the ninth to avoid the shutout.

Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman was taken out of the game after being hit in the mask by a foul ball off the bat of Boston’s Rafael Devers in the third inning.

–Field Level Media

Sox Turn to Buehler’s Day

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After splitting a pair of one-run decisions on a busy Saturday at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox will look to close their four-game weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles with a Sunday afternoon victory.

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In between Boston’s 6-5 win in 10 innings and 2-1 loss, top organizational prospect Marcelo Mayer was recalled to make his MLB debut in the nightcap. Mayer’s promotion came after fellow infielder Alex Bregman was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain.

“It’s significant,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Bregman’s injury. “But like I said before, if we really believe we’re good, we have to keep going and keep playing good baseball and keep winning games.”

Mayer’s 0-for-4 debut with three strikeouts came in a game in which the Red Sox managed only five hits and lost by a run for the 13th time this season.

Rafael Devers had the walk-off hit in Boston’s Saturday win, and Abraham Toro homered in both games.

Following Lucas Giolito’s seven shutout innings in the Saturday nightcap, the Red Sox will look for more of the same from right-hander Walker Buehler (4-1, 4.00 ERA) today.

Buehler had his Tuesday outing against the New York Mets end after 2 1/3 no-hit innings Tuesday, as he and Cora were ejected for arguing a missed strike call. The outing was Buehler’s first since April 26 following a stint on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder bursitis.

“It’s one of those things that you’re very conflicted in how you feel, very convicted in what I felt and saw,” Buehler said of the incident. “But at the same time, this is a team game and something I let get out of hand, and personally, that’s the disappointing part of it.”

Buehler will make his third career start against the Orioles, having gone 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings against them. His outing last August with the Los Angeles Dodgers (four runs, two earned in 4 2/3 innings) was his first head-to-head since 2019.

Baltimore has split its last four games after an eight-game skid during which manager Brandon Hyde was dismissed. The Orioles’ latest win was its fifth by one run this season, thanks to the trio of Trevor Rogers, Andrew Kittredge and Seranthony Dominguez carrying a shutout into the ninth inning.

Rogers, who was injured and in the minors until earlier this month, started in what began the day as a to-be-determined starter’s spot.

“It was a great night,” Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “We’ll see where this goes. There’s a lot of moving pieces right now. If there are more opportunities for (Rogers), hopefully he can continue to do what he did (on Saturday).”

Injury also has impacted Kittredge, who was reinstated following a left knee debridement on Wednesday and has thrown two scoreless outings since.

“I know that this stretch hasn’t gone the way we want it to and it’s an uphill battle from here, but we have so much talent in here,” Kittredge said. “I think that we’re fully capable of turning this around, and I think, hopefully, it’s just a mindset change from the group, and so far, it doesn’t really seem like there’s not a lot of belief in here that we can’t do it.”

The Orioles on Sunday will start right-hander Dean Kremer (3-5, 5.50 ERA), who has won just one start this month after back-to-back outings giving up four earned runs. He allowed nine hits but struck out six in 5 1/3 innings in a Monday no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers. Baltimore lost 5-4.

Kremer has a 2-4 record and 5.64 ERA in nine career starts against the Red Sox. He brought the Orioles seven innings deep in his lone start in 2024 against them, though, allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits on Sept. 11.

–Field Level Media

Devers Delivers in 10th

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Rafael Devers hit a game-ending single with one out in the 10th inning and the host Red Sox outlasted the Baltimore Orioles for a 6-5 victory on Saturday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader.

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Devers gave the Red Sox their fifth win in seven games when he made the Orioles pay for pitching to him with automatic runner Ceddanne Rafaela on second.

After Gregory Soto (0-2) retired Jarren Duran, the Orioles pitched to the slugger with first base open and the designated hitter improved to 6-for-11 off the left-hander when he chopped a fastball to center field to easily score Rafaela.

It was Devers’ second game-winning hit in Boston’s 10-game home stand, blasting a game-ending homer last week to beat the Atlanta Braves.

The Red Sox used six relievers, including Greg Weissert (2-1), who pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 10th after Aroldis Chapman did the same in the ninth.

Boston followed up its 19-5 rout on Friday by rallying from an early two-run deficit and a 5-2 hole in the fifth.

Duran and Wilyer Abreu homered in the first off Zach Eflin after the Orioles took a 2-0 lead on a double by Ramon Urias. Abreu’s home run followed a brief delay to clean up the field during some rainy conditions.

The Orioles scored three in the fifth off Hunter Dobbins and Sean Newcomb. Heston Kjerstad scored on a groundout by Jackson Holiday before Gunnar Henderson blasted a double off the bottom of the Green Monster. Adley Rutschman then scored on a wild pitch.

Boston answered quickly again as Abraham Toro homered into the right field seats to make it 5-3 in the home half of the fifth.

An inning later, Devers doubled and scored on an error by Henderson when the shortstop’s throw on the forceout attempt went by Holiday’s glove and into center field. Boston evened the score on the next batter as Nick Sogard drove in Abreu on a fielder’s choice.

Dobbins allowed four runs on five hits in four-plus innings. The right-hander struck out seven, walked one and exited after allowing hits to the first two hitters in the fifth.

Eflin allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in five-plus innings. The right-hander struck out one and gave up three home runs, upping his total to seven homers allowed in his past two starts.

Baltimore and Boston will play again Saturday with an expected first pitch at 6:35 p.m. local time.

–Field Level Media