The Red Sox are lucky to remain in a Wild Card spot.
They fell 6-2 to the league-worst Orioles Thursday night to make it a series loss, but do remain in the Wild Card after the Blue Jays likely lose to the Yankees — it’s currently 5-2 in the eighth. The Mariners had an off-day.
Kiké Hernandez led off the game, on the very first pitch, with a solo homer. But Ryan Mountcastle gave the Orioles their first lead of the affair, as he lifted a three-run shot right into the glove of the Baltimore bullpen catcher in the third off Nick Pivetta.
Pivetta couldn’t make it out of the fifth, as Ryan Brasier finished the frame before Garrett Richards was assigned the sixth. Richards served up three hits to the first four batters he faced, as Tyler Nevin’s two-run single made it 5-1.
J.D. Martinez would cross the plate on a passed ball in the seventh, as it would be Boston’s only other run to make it a lifeless 70th loss for the Sox. The Sox had just five hits as a club, and it came against Alexander Wells, who entered tonight with a 7.65 ERA and was hurling 86-mph fastballs down the heart of the plate.
Boston packs their bags for the nation’s capital, where they’ll end the season. If they win out, they’re guaranteed a play-in for the Wild Card.
If Yankees hold on and win…
Yankees 91-68
Red Sox 89-70 — 2 GB of NYY
Mariners 89-70 — 2 GB of NYY
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Blue Jays 88-71 — 1 GB of BOS, SEA; 3 GB of NYY— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) October 1, 2021