BALTIMORE -- Chris Sale became the first American League pitcher this century – and the second in Red Sox history – to record 300 strikeouts in a single season, tossing eight shutout innings in the process, as the Red Sox blanked the Baltimore Orioles, 9-0.
Sale was at 99 pitches after seven innings with 12 strikeouts, leaving him at 299. But he returned for the eighth, and after two groundouts, slipped a called third strike past . Sale, 17-7, left the mound to a standing ovation.
Pedro Martinez is the only other Red Sox pitcher in history to record 300 or more strikeouts in a season. He had a club record 313 in 1999.
The Red Sox got two-run homers from Mookie Betts and Deven Marrero. Hanley Ramirez, back in the starting lineup after missing a handful of games with shoulder/biceps woes, had a two-run double and added a run-scoring single for three RBI.
Dustin Pedroia snapped an 0-for-18 drought at the plate with an opposite-field two-run double in the eighth.
The Sox rocked former teammate Wade Miley for six runs in 4.1 innings.
The win was Boston’s third straight and sixth in their last seven games.
GAME NO.: 152
WHO: Red Sox (87-64) vs Baltimore Orioles (73-79)
WHEN: 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
RADIO: WEEI (93.7 FM)
TV: NESN/ESPN
PITCHERS: Chris Sale (16-7, 2.86) vs. Wade Miley (8-13, 5.32)
BOX SCORE: MLB Gameday
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
- Anyone concerned that Chris Sale might continue his one-good-one-bad pattern of starts has found out otherwise tonight. This is as sharp as Sale has been in some time, with just two hits allowed over the first five innings. He hasn't issued a single walk -- he had three in his last start -- and has struck out eight. His command has been pinpoint, and the action on his fastball and breaking pitches has been impressive.
- Sam Travis isn't taking advantage of an opportunity. Travis was in the lineup as the DH against starter Wade Miley -- since pulled -- with a chance to prove that he can hit lefthanded pitching. It's possible that Travis could make the post-season roster over Chris Young, who's been atrocious against lefties this year. But for that to happen, Travis needs to produce. He was 0-for-2 with strikeout against Miley and also fanned against righty Mike Wright.
- Hanley Ramirez knocked in two runs in the fifth when he pulled a ball into the left field corner, scoring Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts. But the more impressive at-bat came an inning earlier against Miley, when Ramirez drove a line drive to the gap in right-center. When Ramirez is going well, he hits the ball to center and right-center. After missing a handful of games with biceps/shoulder issues, the Sox had to be heartened by what Ramirez has shown them.
- By universal acknowledgement, Betts is not having the sort of season that was expected of him, given what he achieved last season. But Betts, who smacked a two-run homer in the fourth, still leads the team in the following categories: hits, doubles, homers, RBI, runs scored, stolen bases and walks. For an "off-year,'' that's pretty impressive.
- Eduardo Nunez made some progress with his on-field early work Wednesday, but hasn't yet been cleared to return to the lineup. In fact, he likely won't be in the lineup until Sunday --at the earliest. While Nunez hit on the field, took grounders and did some running, he wasn't given the green light to run the bases, the final hurdle necessary for him to be back in action. "The hitting and fielding continues to progress,'' said John Farrell, "we're finding that the running portion is going to maybe take a little bit longer. While there's progress, we still have to get through the baserunning.'' Farrell said Nunez could be available to pinch-hit in Cincinnati when the Sox begin a weekend interleague series there Friday, but acknowledged he might not be in the lineup until the Sox return home Monday. "We'll know more Friday when he goes through some early work,'' he said.
- Rafael Devers got his promised day off, with Deven Marrero taking over at third for the night. Devers has slumped in the field of late, committing errors in each of the last five games, with 13 errors in 48 games. Farrell acknowledged that when Devers returns to the lineup Friday, he could be removed for defensive purposes late in game in which the Sox lead. "Certainly wouldn't rule it out,'' said Farrell. "When he first came to us, that was the loose plan. But then he excelled defensively and tabled that for the time being.''
- With both Craig Kimbrel and Addison Reed ruled out after pitching in five of the last six games, Farrell said he might turn to David Price to close out Wednesday night -- perhaps as part of a multi-inning stint.
