Gunnar Henderson homered for the fourth time in five games and Albert Suarez threw six shutout innings as the Baltimore Orioles ended a homestand by defeating the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Adley Rutschman also homered as the Orioles forged a split of the four-game series between American League East playoff contenders.
The Orioles won despite producing only three hits — compared to 11 for Boston — along with one walk and two hit batsmen. They stranded two runners on base.
Suarez (6-4) had been given an extra day of rest and took full advantage. He allowed seven singles and struck out six without a walk.
Seranthony Dominguez worked 1 1/3 innings with three strikeouts for his fourth save despite giving up Rob Refsnyder’s solo home run, his eighth of the season, with one out in the ninth.
Henderson, who has 33 home runs, is on a tear again following a power drought. Cedric Mullins singled for Baltimore’s other hit.
Triston Casas, Masataka Yoshida, Rafael Devers, Ceddanne Rafaela and David Hamilton all had two hits for Boston. The Red Sox left seven runners on base across the first six innings and finished 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Boston starter Kutter Crawford (8-10) took the loss, charged with three runs in 5 1/3 innings on two hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
Rutschman, who sat out earlier in the series because of an ailing back, smacked his 18th homer in the fifth to open the scoring. He hadn’t smacked a long ball since July 19, a span of 22 games without a home run.
Rutschman hadn’t homered at home since June 27.
The Orioles stretched their lead to 4-0 in the sixth, when Ryan O’Hearn’s fielder’s choice drove in a run and Henderson followed with a two-run blast.
Boston broke through in the eighth against relievers Cionel Perez and Yennier Cano, scoring on Rafaela’s two-out single.
–Field Level Media
