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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

Slumping Sox Face NY Mets

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Alex Cora won’t manage the Red Sox tonight when they open a three-game series against the visiting New York Mets. Cora will take the night off so he can attend his daughter Camila’s graduation from Boston College. Bench coach Ramon Vazquez will serve as the team’s manager.

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“It’s going to be a very special day, one that I’m not going to miss,” Cora said. “And I will 100 percent miss the game for that. And I’ll do that any given day because it’s going to be a special day for us.”

Boston will enter the series with losses in five of their last six games. The Red Sox have lost 11 of their last 17.

“We’ve got to finish innings, we’ve got to finish at-bats, we’ve got to get better,” Cora said following Sunday’s 10-4 loss to Atlanta. “Does it feel like we’re way off? No, but it’s another loss in the column.”

The Mets have the lowest team ERA in the majors (2.86), and are scheduled to start right-hander Kodai Senga (4-2, 1.02 ERA) Monday. Senga didn’t factor in the decision in his only career appearance against the Red Sox. He allowed three runs (two earned) in 3 1/3 innings in that start, a 5-4 New York road victory on July 21, 2023.

Rookie Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 3.90) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Red Sox. The right-hander has never pitched against the Mets.

New York hasn’t scored more than three runs in any of its last five games and has been limited to nine runs during that five-game stretch. The Mets were held to three hits in Sunday night’s 8-2 loss to the Yankees.

The Mets also made two infield errors in Sunday’s loss, the second of which was a throwing error by Pete Alonso that allowed the Yankees to take a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning. Third baseman Mark Vientos also made an error in the first.

“On and off,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said when asked about his team’s infield defense. “I feel like we’ve gone through stretches where we’ve been pretty sharp, but there’s also been a few games where we’re not finishing plays or, you know, we’re not completing them. And even some of the routine plays. We saw today in the first inning. We can’t make a play there leading off an inning and, before we know it, we’re down two.

“This is something that we gotta get better and we will because we got good defenders there,” Mendoza added.

Rookie Kristian Campbell was not in Boston’s lineup Sunday. After a hot start, Campbell is 4-for-51 with one home run in his last 12 games. He’s played second base and the outfield this season but recently began working out at first base.

“It feels like sometimes he’s in between the breaking ball and the fastball,” Cora said. “Just a kid that went off the first month of the season and people are gonna start making adjustments. So now it’s our time to make the adjustment. And for some people, especially as the young kid, like he’s gonna take longer than others, but I truly believe that the quality of the at-bat is still there.”

–Field Level Media

Fenway’s Bravest

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Servicce Report) – Perhaps a game-winning homer was just what the doctor ordered for the Boston Red Sox? Maybe it was the come-from-behind aspect that could fuel a slip-sliding ballclub?

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After erasing a 6-2 deficit over the final three innings to emerge victorious on a Rafael Devers’ game-winning home run on Saturday night, the Red Sox look to continue the momentum when they play a Sunday afternoon rubber game against the visiting Atlanta Braves.

The recent  American League Player of the Week, Devers’ first career clinching homer capped the Saturday comeback and a personal 3-for-4 effort for a player who started the season in a slump and a funk. Boston’s longtime third baseman-turned-designated hitter has a .411 average in 15 games this month and has reached base in 19 of his last 20 games.

“We all know who (Devers) is. He’s always the same guy,” Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran told Fox postgame. “He could be 0-for-5 or 5-for-5 and he looks the exact same. I think people just need to trust him because we know what he can do.”

Prior to Saturday, Boston had been on a four-game skid and lost eight straight one-run games.

“We needed that one,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I’m glad we got rewarded (on Saturday) but, hopefully, we can avoid these games and get a lead, add to it. It’s a lot of innings for the bullpen. You pay the price.”

Boston’s Braves

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) -Boston DH Rafael Devers’ leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning capped the Red Sox come back from five runs down to beat the visiting Atlanta Braves 7-6 on Saturday night at Fenway Park.

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After Boston’s Aroldis Chapman (3-2) worked around two baserunners to strike out the side in the top half of the ninth, Devers — who finished 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored — clubbed a 2-1 curveball into the right-center field bullpen off Pierce Johnson (1-1) for his first career game-winning homer.

The third baseman turned designated hitter, Devers finished 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored as the Red Sox won the second of a three-game series.

Boston had scored twice and tallied three hits in both the seventh and eighth innings to whittle down from a 6-2 deficit. Jarren Duran finished with four RBIs, including two on a game-tying single to right with two outs in the eighth.

In the seventh, Ceddanne Rafaela’s leadoff double down the left-field line began a stretch of three Boston hits in four batters to cut its deficit to 6-4. Devers’ opposite-field single and Alex Bregman’s wall-ball double plated runs.

Consecutive one-out hits by Abraham Toro (double) and Carlos Narvaez (single) set up Duran’s game-tying knock an inning later.

Earliers, Atlanta’s Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna hit back-to-back homers in the first and Drake Baldwin added a two-run shot in the third for a 5-0 advantage for Atlanta, which was held scoreless after the fourth against four relief pitchers.

The Braves wasted little time getting to Boston starter Lucas Giolito as Austin Riley drew a one-out walk and scored on Olson’s two-run homer out to the bullpen in center in the first inning. Ozuna made it back-to-back jacks and a 3-0 Atlanta lead in the next at-bat, depositing a line-drive solo shot to deep left and completely out of the ballpark.

Another one-out walk helped Atlanta extend its lead to 5-0 in the third. After Ozuna drew a free pass, Baldwin hit a towering two-run homer inside Pesky’s Pole in right that was upheld on review.

Braves starter Grant Holmes set aside the first seven Red Sox he faced before a one-out walk to Narvaez in the third. Duran’s two-run homer to straightaway center got Boston on the board two batters later.

The Atlanta starter limited the hosts’ damage to two third-inning runs, inducing an inning-ending fly ball after allowing a Devers double and walking Bregman.

In the fourth, the Braves got a run back on Riley’s two-out single that dropped into shallow left. Eli White hit a leadoff single and stole second to help set up the RBI opportunity and a 6-2 lead.

–Field Level Media

Sox Slide vs Sale

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Atlanta’s 1B Matt Olson and C Sean Murphy hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning, and Chris Sale’s seven innings of one-run ball made them stand up as the visiting Atlanta Braves defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Friday night.

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The home runs were part of 2-for-4 nights for both Olson and Murphy in the opener of a three-game series.

Sale (2-3) struck out eight and allowed just five hits and two walks en route to winning his second straight outing against the Red Sox since being traded away in 2023.

Daysbel Hernandez and Raisel Iglesias closed out the game, though the latter allowed a Trevor Story RBI single before recording his eighth save.

Jarren Duran (triple) and Nick Sogard were both 2-for-3, but Boston managed just six total hits and were unable to take advantage of a seven-inning start from Garrett Crochet (4-3). The Red Sox finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

The Braves have won four of five, while the Red Sox are on a four-game skid.

Crochet struck out the side on 11 pitches in a dominant first inning, but Atlanta struck for back-to-back solo homers to start the second. Olson and Murphy both went deep over the Green Monster to a near-identical spot in left-center field.

Boston left runners on base in each of the first three innings, including a waste of Jarren Duran’s one-out triple into the right field corner in the third. After Sale struck out Alex Bregman looking, Murphy caught Rafael Devers (walk) attempting to steal second base.

Crochet settled into his outing after allowing the two homers, facing the minimum from the third through sixth innings. In the seventh, the Red Sox southpaw allowed three consecutive one-out singles to Olson, Murphy and Ozzie Albies, but struck out two to escape a bases-loaded jam.

Devers was the first of three Boston men to be retired on the basepaths, as Duran was also caught stealing in the sixth and Sogard ended the seventh getting cut down trying to stretch a single into a double.

The Red Sox did cut into their deficit to start the seventh, though, when Refsnyder lined a leadoff homer into the Green Monster seats in left.

Walks doomed Boston in the top of the ninth, as the bullpen duo of Liam Hendriks and Brennan Bernardino combined to issue five. Two of them forced in key insurance runs to increase the visitors’ lead to 4-1.

–Field Level Media

Friday Night at The Fens

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A battle of ace left-handers is on tap for Friday night as Garrett Crochet’s Boston Red Sox face old friend Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game weekend series in Boston.

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“It’s going to be a fun night,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.. “Obviously, hate to face Chris, but it’s what we have. I think it’s going to be a special night for him coming back to Fenway to pitch and I know Garrett is excited about it, too.”

Crochet (4-2, 1.93 ERA) was hard on his own performance after the first few starts of his Red Sox career, but he has returned to his ace-level form of late while allowing just four runs across his last three starts.

On Saturday, the 26-year-old Crochet scattered seven hits and struck out nine across seven innings of one-run ball in a 10-1 win at Kansas City, ending the Royals’ seven-game win streak.

“You saw the punch-outs. I think the action of his pitches were better than the last few starts. He gave us more than enough,” Cora said. “That’s what he’s here for.”

Boston will be looking for another streak breaking performance from Crochet after losing back-to-back one-run games — 10-9 (11 innings) on Tuesday and 6-5 on Wednesday — at the end of a road series sweep by the Detroit Tigers.

The Red Sox have taken five of their last seven losses by one run and are just 4-12 in such games this season. After a leaping Wilyer Abreu assisted on Ceddanne Rafaela’s catch to rob a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, the Tigers walked off for the second straight night on Wednesday.

“We’re definitely underperforming what we think we can do,” relief pitcher Liam Hendriks said. “There have been a lot of games we think we should have been able to take. Now, it’s a matter of turning those games we’re not supposed to win into wins. That’ll flip the script.”

With the Chicago White Sox, Crochet’s first and only career start against Atlanta was on April 2, 2024. He earned the win after allowing just one run in seven innings, striking out eight.

The Braves arrive in Boston having taken three of four in their previous series against their National League East rival Washington Nationals, including a 5-2 Thursday win.

Rookies were the story for Atlanta as it wrapped up the series, as catcher Drake Baldwin went 3-for-4 with an RBI and AJ Smith-Shawver allowed just one unearned run in six innings.

“That’s the cool thing about this, when you can develop guys and they come up,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “You’re proud of those guys when they can handle themselves like this, and they’re both handling it great.”

After spending 2017-23 in Boston, Sale (1-3, 3.97 ERA) makes his second start against the Red Sox since he was traded away in December 2023. He struck out 10 in six scoreless innings in a 5-0 home win on May 8, 2024.

For his entire career, Sale is 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA in 11 appearances (six starts) against Boston.

Sale struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings on Sunday at Pittsburgh after fanning 10 in each of his two prior starts.

Those outings have been crucial as the Braves pitch without Spencer Strider, who is expected back from a right hamstring injury next week at Washington. Fellow starter Bryce Elder was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after Thursday’s game.

“We got three more days now in this 17-game run (without an off day) and you need good starts so you’re not doing the roster gymnastics and all that kind of stuff,” Snitker said. “Starters have been a key to this little stretch we’re in.”

–Field Level Media

Sox Take Series vs Royals

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Wilyer Abreu homered and singled twice to help the visiting Boston Red Sox to a 3-1 win against the Kansas City Royals in the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday.

Rafael Devers homered, singled and drove in the other two runs for the Red Sox, who have won four of five.

Lucas Giolito (1-1) made his third start of the season for Boston and allowed one unearned run and two hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Justin Wilson and Greg Weissert combined for 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief before Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

Royals starter Seth Lugo (3-4) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

Kansas City had won seven of eight and 10 of 12.

Giolito retired the first six batters before Drew Waters singled up the middle to lead off the third. Luke Maile then walked, bringing up No. 9 hitter Kyle Isbel, who laid down a bunt but Giolito’s throw to third got away, allowing Waters to score for 1-0 lead.

The Royals had runners at first and second with one out later in the inning, but Giolito struck out Bobby Witt Jr. before getting Vinnie Pasquantino to ground out to end the inning.

Abreu pulled a hanging curveball over the bullpen in right field for a 430-foot solo homer in the fourth, tying the score 1-1.

Lugo gave up a one-out single to Jarren Duran in the sixth. Devers then lifted the next pitch over the fence in center for a 440-foot two-run homer, giving Boston a 3-1 lead.

Steven Cruz pitched the seventh for the Royals, his 18th consecutive scoreless appearance over the past two seasons.

Daniel Lynch IV started the eighth for Kansas City and gave up a leadoff double down the third base line to Carlos Narvaez, who then moved to third on a sacrice bunt.

Lynch bounced back to strike out Duran before Devers was walked intentionally. John Schreiber then came in and struck out Bregman to end the threat.

Devers Hits – Baseball and Breslow

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Before he went way off script to question the Red Sox organization and team General Manager Craig Breslow, current designated hitter Rafael Devers had two hits, including a home run, and the Boston Red Sox used four pitchers to earn a 5-0 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers on Thursday.

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Devers made it a five-run lead when he hit a solo home run against reliever Jacob Latz in the seventh inning. It was his sixth home run of the season. Devers also had an RBI single in the fifth.

“In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove, that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH, so right now, I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position,” said Devers to reporters through an interpreter (Spanish-English).

“I don’t feel that they stayed true to their word,” he said. “They told me that I was going to be playing this position, DH, and now they’re going back on that. So I just don’t think they stayed true to their word,” said Devers. “They’ve told me I’m a little hard-headed. [But] they already asked me to change once, and this time, I don’t think I can be as flexible.”

Back to the ballgame, Ceddanne Rafaela also had two hits for the Red Sox, who had six total hits, while winning consecutive games for the first time this month.

Boston starter Brayan Bello pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings but struggled with his control. He held Texas to four hits and struck out one with five walks.

Justin Slaten (1-3) took over for Bello in the fifth inning and did not allow a run over 1 1/3 hitless innings. Garrett Whitlock pitched the seventh and Liam Hendriks was on the mound for the final two innings, recording two strikeouts.

No. 9 hitter Tucker Barnhart had three hits for Texas, which was limited to five singles in the loss. Wyatt Langford and Josh Smith also had hits for the Rangers.

Texas received 5 1/3 innings from starting pitcher Jack Leiter (2-2), who allowed three runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

The Red Sox scored two runs in the second, one in the fifth, one in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Trevor Story handed Boston a 1-0 lead when he scored on a Leiter wild pitch in the first inning. The Red Sox doubled their lead later in the inning on a Jarren Duran groundout that allowed Carlos Narvaez to score.

It remained 2-0 until the fifth, when Rafaela scored on a Devers single to center. A Narvaez single drove in Story to make it 4-0 in the sixth before Devers’ home run in the seventh.

–Field Level Media