The Boston Red Sox struck back with a three-run seventh, capturing the series sweep of the Orioles despite losing the lead in the top half of the seventh.
Boston didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard. A leadoff walk from Kiké Hernandez and back-to-back singles from Rafael Devers and Hunter Renfroe loaded the bases, and Bobby Dalbec knocked in the Sox’s first run after being hit in the elbow with two outs. Kevin Plawecki followed that up with a two-run single to make it 3-0.
They added on in the second as a pair of doubles from Alex Verdugo and Hernandez made it 4-0.
The O’s made it interesting, however, with a three-run third off Nathan Eovaldi. Anthony Santander’s RBI double and Austin Hays’ two-run double made it a one-run affair. But, J.D. Martinez put Boston’s lead back to two as the slugger walloped a solo homer over the Green Monster.
Nathan Eovaldi exited after five three-run innings, and Garrett Whitlock hurled a scoreless sixth. However, Whitlock exited the game with what was later said to be a pectoral injury after walking the leadoff batter to start the seventh.
In came Hirokazu Sawamura for relief, but he did just the opposite of relieving. He walked the next to Orioles he faced, before Trey Mancini stroked a three-run double down the left field line to put Baltimore ahead, 6-5.
But Boston wasn’t done just yet.
Hernandez drove in Jose Iglesias, who led off with a double, with a game-tying RBI single that hit off of second base and bounced into the outfield. Renfroe then came through with a go-ahead double, and he was plated by a Devers single to make it 8-6.
Hansel Robles and Garrett Richards hurled back-to-back scoreless frames out of the bullpen, in relief of Sawamura — both literally and figuratively.
The Red Sox capture their 86th win of the season, and move to 86-65 on the season. They move a game ahead of the Blue Jays, and 2.5 games ahead of the Yankees as they remain in the first place of the Wild Card.
(Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)