Baltimore Orioles

As Red Sox and Orioles Close Out the Regular Season, Orioles Look Ahead and the Red Sox Look to Rebuild

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Orioles have had a win mentality all season. They don’t want to back off during the last weekend of the regular season.

The Baltimore Orioles have had a win mentality all season. They don’t want to back off during the last weekend of the regular season.

“I still want to play well,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “I want to play to win.”

The Orioles and visiting Boston Red Sox will meet in the third game of their four-game series on Saturday night.

The Orioles (100-60) had won five in a row before losing 3-0 on Friday, a night after they clinched the American League East title with a 2-0 victory over the Red Sox.

“It was a big night for us (Thursday) night, and we just didn’t play our best baseball (on Friday), and those things happen,” Hyde said. “Hopefully, we’ll rebound and play a better game.”

Boston (77-83) ended a five-game skid on Friday.

“There’s a lot of good things that are happening in that clubhouse,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They’re still playing hard.”

Boston’s offense still has holes. The Red Sox ended a 23-inning scoreless streak when Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning on Friday, but it still was far from an offensive outburst.

The Red Sox aren’t done learning about their personnel, even with just two games left in the season. That’s what was among the takeaways from seeing Nick Pivetta throw seven shutout innings and strike out 10 on Friday.

“It has been fun to watch,” Cora said. “He’s going to work hard in the offseason to keep getting better. He should be one of the guys next year when we talk about it.”

The Orioles have more pressing matters. Though they will have nearly a week off before opening the playoffs at home on Oct. 7, they want to start formalizing a plan, and that could dictate some moves this weekend.

“Nothing’s set in stone right now,” Hyde said. “We’re seeing who we’re playing (in the first postseason series), and we have some time.”

Hyde gave right fielder Anthony Santander the night off Friday, putting Heston Kjerstad in the lineup for his first start in the outfield.

“You’re going to see him play probably two, if not all three, of these games and give him the at-bats,” Hyde said. “I want to give him four or five at-bats a night if I can and see what he’s like against big-league pitching.”

Right-hander Kyle Gibson (15-9, 4.86 ERA), who already has a career-high win total, will be the Orioles’ starting pitcher on Saturday. Baltimore has won three of four September games pitched by Gibson, who is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in those contests. He faced the Red Sox in the season opener on March 30 and earned a win despite giving up four runs in five-plus innings.

Gibson will make his career-high 33rd start. He is 4-4 with a 3.72 ERA in nine career starts against Boston.

The Red Sox are set to give the ball to right-hander Kutter Crawford (6-8, 4.23), who has gone six consecutive outings without a victory. Boston went 1-5 in those games, while Crawford was 0-2 with a 6.26 ERA. Most recently, he yielded three runs in 5 1/3 innings during a 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Crawford surrendered 11 runs across 3 2/3 innings covering two appearances (one start) last year in his only career matchups with the Orioles.

Baltimore is 6-5 in September home games, dropping their season mark at Camden Yards to 48-31. The Orioles will have home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.

–Field Level Media

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore catcher James McCann hit two home runs to help the visiting Orioles stretch their winning streak to seven games by beating the Boston Red Sox 13-12 on Saturday. McCann belted a two-run home run in the fourth inning and hit a solo shot in the sixth. The homers were his fifth and sixth of the season.

Justin Turner

Aaron Hicks hit his eighth homer, Jordan Westburg added his third and Gunnar Henderson belted his 24th for the Orioles (90-51), who maintained a four-game lead over Tampa Bay at the top of the American League East standings. Tampa Bay defeated Seattle 7-5 on Saturday.

Baltimore’s seven consecutive victories have all come on the road.

The Red Sox scored three runs against Yennier Cano in the bottom of the ninth but stranded the tying run on third base.

Shintaro Fujinami (7-8) earned the win after pitching 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Boston (72-70) has lost four in a row overall and has dropped its last six home games. Wilyer Abreu collected five of Boston’s 23 hits in the loss.

It was 2-2 in the top of the third when Hicks hit a three-run home run against Boston starting pitcher Chris Sale (6-4), who allowed seven runs (six earned) in four innings. Earlier in the third, Jorge Mateo scored Baltimore’s second run on an Anthony Santander double.

McCann followed with the first of his two homers, which extended Baltimore’s lead to 7-2 in the fourth inning.

Justin Turner’s 23rd home run handed the Red Sox a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Orioles sliced that deficit in half in the second when Hicks scored on Trevor Story’s throwing error.

Boston added four runs in the fourth. Connor Wong got things going with an RBI single before Alex Verdugo hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Enmanuel Valdez. Wong scored on Henderson’s fielding error, and Rafael Devers made it 7-6 when he scored on a Triston Casas groundout.

Westburg and McCann added solo home runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 9-6, and Henderson’s three-run homer in the seventh pushed the lead to 12-6.

Boston answered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Abreu hit a two-run double and then scored on a Devers single.

Ramon Urias drove in Austin Hays with a single in the ninth to give Baltimore a 13-9 lead before Story’s two-run double and Abreu’s RBI single pulled Boston within a run in the bottom of the inning.

–Field Level Media

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Baltimore Orioles can stretch their winning streak to seven games on Saturday when they face the host Boston Red Sox in the second game of a three-game series.

All six of Baltimore’s previous wins in the burst have come on their current road trip. After a loss to Arizona to begin the trek, the Orioles (89-51) took the final two from the Diamondbacks and then swept three against the Los Angeles Angels. On Friday, they pummeled Boston 11-2.

Baltimore, which collected 14 hits on Friday, enters Saturday’s matchup with a four-game lead over second-place Tampa Bay in the American League East.

Boston (72-69) has lost three in a row overall five straight home games.

“We’re not here to teach them how to play ball. We’re here to win games,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We just have to keep playing hard, and we’ll be OK.”

Prior to the series against Boston, Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde announced that the Orioles are returning to a five-man pitching rotation. The Orioles have been using six starters since mid-August.

Hyde said Cole Irvin would shift from a starter into long relief, but added that the plan to go with five starters could change after the weekend.

“We’re looking ahead with our rotation,” Hyde said. “You try to give yourself the best opportunity (to win). When the season is coming to an end, for the last 20-plus games, you start looking ahead a little bit and try to line guys up the best you can.”

Starting pitcher John Means could factor into the team’s pitching plans. Means, who had Tommy John surgery in April 2022, made what is expected to be his final rehab assignment Wednesday, when he pitched five innings for Triple-A Norfolk.

Right-hander Jack Flaherty (8-8, 4.84 ERA) is Baltimore’s scheduled starter for Saturday. The Orioles acquired Flaherty, 27, from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline on Aug. 1. Flaherty was 7-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts this season with the Cardinals, and is 1-2 with a 6.66 ERA in five starts with the Orioles.

Flaherty, who will be a free agent after the season, allowed four runs on six hits, including two home runs, in Baltimore’s 8-5 victory over Arizona on Sunday. He struck out seven and walked one. This will be the first time Flaherty has faced the Red Sox.

Boston is expected to start lefty Chris Sale (6-3, 4.46). Sale’s velocity has been down since he returned from a stress reaction in his left shoulder blade that was diagnosed following his first start in June, but he tossed five scoreless innings in Boston’s 7-3 win against Kansas City on Sunday. Sale surrendered two hits, struck out five and walked two.

Sale is 10-4 with a 3.46 ERA in 25 career appearances (19 starts) against Baltimore.

The Orioles have won four of their seven meetings with the Red Sox this season.

–Field Level Media

NFL

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report – The Baltimore Orioles will look to extend their five-game road winning streak when they open a three-game series against the Red Sox tonight.

It’s the start of a seven-game homestand for Boston (72-68), which has lost two in a row and will need a strong September to have any chance of securing an American League wild-card berth. The Red Sox have 22 games remaining, and nine of their next 13 games will be against teams ahead of them in the standings.

“We’re going home now, and if we want to gain ground we have a chance now,” Boston manager Alex Cora said following Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. “We have the best team in the American League coming up and then we have the Yankees (at home), then Toronto, Texas. This week is going to be huge for us.”

The Orioles (88-51), who lead the American League East, finished a three-game sweep of Anaheim with a 10-3 victory on Wednesday night. Outfielder Austin Hays went 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in the win.

“He’s just driving the baseball, getting huge hits for us, plays Gold Glove defense every night in left field,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “Had an outstanding game offensively (Wednesday night). He shows up to play hard every day.”

Baltimore owns the best road record in the American League (46-25).

“We came here with the goal of winning the series and we did that in the first two games so coming out (Wednesday) and scoring 10 runs, that was huge,” Hays said. “It’s good to rest up on this cross-country flight and we’ll keep this thing rolling in Boston.”

The Red Sox, who have lost four in a row at home, struck out 17 times during Wednesday’s loss to the Rays, and struck out 47 times in the three-game series. One of Boston’s few offensive highlights Wednesday came from rookie first baseman Triston Casas, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games when he singled in the ninth.

Boston will send right-hander Tanner Houck (4-8, 5.07 ERA) to the mound Friday night. Houck allowed four earned runs on seven hits in five innings in Boston’s 9-5 victory over Kansas City on Saturday. He struck out five and walked one.

Houck is 3-2 with a 3.28 ERA in seven career appearances (three starts) against Baltimore. He has 25 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings.

Righty Kyle Bradish (10-6, 3.03 ERA) is expected to start for the Orioles. He limited Arizona to two runs on four hits in six innings during Baltimore’s 7-3 triumph Saturday. Bradish, however, hasn’t fared well against the Red Sox during his career. He’s 0-4 with a 9.36 ERA in six appearances (all starts).

Outfielder Alex Verdugo has missed Boston’s past three games because of a tight left hamstring, but Cora said he could be in the lineup Friday.

“Every series is important right now,” Hyde said. “Doesn’t matter who we play, every series is important. We only have 20-something games to go and they all mean something.”

–Field Level Media

BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore’s starting pitcher Tyler Wells spotted the Orioles with a strong pitching performance in a 6-2 victory against the visiting Boston Red Sox in the rubber game of a three-game series Wednesday afternoon.

Ramon Urias went 4-for-4, scored three runs and had one RBI and Anthony Santander had a pair of sacrifice flies as the Orioles won for the eighth time in their last nine games and 10th in their past 12 outings. They completed a 5-1 homestand.

Wells (1-1) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Masataka Yoshida homered for the Red Sox. Starting pitcher Tanner Houck (3-1) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings.

Red Sox Defeat Baltimore, 5-3, in First of Saturday Twin Bill

BOSTON – I’ll take Baseball Wins & Losses for $500, Mayim.

This is the most important thing for a major league baseball club, like the 21-24 Boston Red Sox, when they’re playing a day-night double-header a few hours after blowing a 6-0 lead and losing to the last place Baltimore Orioles, 12-8?

What is, have your starting pitcher throw a complete game?

Is right.

Boston’s Nathan Eovaldi settled down to earn a 5-3 complete-game victory after he shook-off a 5th inning two-run home run by Baltimore catcher Robinson Chirinos which tied the early-bird first of a two games admission twin bill, 3-3. It was Eovaldi’s first complete game win of his career and one of only two CG the Red Sox pitching staff has enjoyed this season, the other by Nick Pivetta on May 18 (a 5-1 Boston win over Houston).

Eovaldi allowed seven hits, walked one and struck-out six while throwing 108 pitches (75 strikes) during his effort. Baltimore scored three runs, two earned and positioned the Sox bullpen for the evening game. Friday, Sox starter Garret Whitlock was spotted a 6-0 lead which was cut to 6-2 in the fourth inning, but was undermined by his relievers to the tune of 10 other runs scored from the 7th through 9th innings.

Today’s matinee was a different story, as Boston manager Alex Cora made a smart strategic play, having right-handed batter and first baseman Bobby Dalbec pinch hit for lefthand hitting starting first baseman Franchy Cordero to lead-off the 6th inning. Dalbec deposited a 397-foot, game-winning homer to right, giving Eovaldi the support he needed for the win.

Boston secured an insurance run in the 7th inning when designated hitter J.D. Martinez walked, shortstop Xander Bogaerts doubled and second baseman Christian Arroyo reached safely on an infield hit to score Martinez. Arroyo went 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double and RBI. Meanwhile, Sox third baseman, Rafael Devers went 4-for-5 to set his season high of hits in a single game to extend his MLB-leading collection of hits to (69).

Devers hammered a first inning single with a (106.1 mph) exit velocity, doubled in the 2nd inning with the ball leaving his bat at 97.1 mph and added two other hits, with his 5th inning single clocking NASA control towers at 107.5 mph. Devers leads the majors in hard-hit balls  with 84 clocking over 95 mph exit numbers.

The AL East cellar-dwelling Orioles fell to (19-28) and are (2-3) over this eight-game road trip. Baltimore is 7-17 on the road, going into the Saturday night tilt against the Sox (weather permitting). Baltimore pitchers have allowed 10+ hits in nine of their last 13 games, dating back to May 15th.

Keegan Akin (1-1) took the loss after pitching 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on two hits.