Eric Hosmer ripped a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth inning to lift the host Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
Alex Verdugo and Tommy Pham each had an RBI double for the Red Sox, who had five doubles en route to snapping a four-game losing skid.
The win in the one-game “series” was Boston’s first in 13 sets (1-11-1) against American League East foes this season. The one-off game was a result of the owners’ work stoppage before the season causing part of the schedule to be reshuffled.
Terrin Vavra ripped a two-run triple and scored on Austin Hays’ RBI single for the Orioles, who lost for just the second time in their last nine games.
Dean Kremer (4-4) issued a two-out walk to J.D. Martinez before departing in the sixth inning. Nick Vespi came on and promptly surrendered Hosmer’s RBI double to the triangle in center field. The hit allowed Martinez to chug around the bases and give Boston a 4-3 lead.
That closed the book on Kremer, who sustained his third loss in four outings after allowing four runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The go-ahead run made a winner out of Austin Davis (2-1), who retired the lone batter he faced in relief of starter Josh Winckowski.
Matt Barnes struck out two batters in the seventh inning and John Schreiber retired the side in order in the eighth. Schreiber worked around a two-out infield single by Ramon Urias in the ninth to secure his fourth save of the season.
Boston bolted out of the blocks as Xander Bogaerts belted his 300th career double in the first inning and came around to score on Verdugo’s double to center field.
The Red Sox upped their advantage to 3-0 in the third inning. Pham’s double down the left field line plated a speedy Jarren Duran, and Pham later scored on Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly.
Baltimore responded in the sixth inning as Vavra’s triple to right field plated rookie Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle. Vavra didn’t stay on third base for long, as he scored on Hays’ swinging bunt to forge a 3-3 tie.
–Field Level Media
