Masataka Yoshida smashed a three-run home run in Boston’s four-run fourth inning and the visiting Red Sox went on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 12-10 on Friday night.
Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran and David Hamilton also homered for the Red Sox, who snapped a two-game skid. Yoshida (3-for-4) added a run-scoring single in the eighth while Duran also collected three of Boston’s 14 hits and scored three runs.
The teams have split the first two games of a four-game series.
The Red Sox battered Orioles ace Corbin Burnes and did damage against Baltimore’s relievers as well.
Ramon Urias went 3-for-3 with a two-run home run and finished with five RBIs and Jackson Holliday had four hits for the Orioles, who compiled 17 hits but dropped a game behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East. Eloy Jimenez, Ryan Mountcastle and James McCann each had two hits.
Kenley Jansen, the last of Boston’s eight pitchers, worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save.
Cooper Criswell (5-4) was activated and came on in the second inning for the Red Sox. He allowed six runs on nine hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings but picked up the win. Criswell had spent 10 days on the COVID injured list.
Burnes (12-5), who was the American League starter in the All-Star Game, lasted only four innings, allowing season highs in runs (eight) and hits (10) with three walks. He struck out seven.
The Red Sox nicked Craig Kimbrel for three runs in the seventh to stretch their lead to 11-6.
The game was tied 4-4 after three innings.
Boston went back ahead on Connor Wong’s fourth-inning RBI single before Yoshida’s eighth home run threatened to break the game open.
Boston’s bats were going from the start. Wilyer Abreu and Devers rapped run-scoring doubles in the first inning.
It was 4-1 in Boston’s favor after Devers drilled a two-run shot in the third inning, his 26th homer of the season.
Hamilton’s seventh homer, a two-run shot, and Duran’s 15th, a solo blast, came in the seventh off Kimbrel.
Urias’ seventh long ball of the year, a two-run homer off Luis Garcia, was part of a three-run Baltimore seventh that cut the deficit to 11-9.
–Field Level Media
