The Red Sox' offense continued to click Friday with a 7-3 thumping of the Baltimore Orioles, Boston's 11th win in the last 12 games. It was also the sixth-straight time the Sox scored six runs or better.
After the Orioles took a 1-0 lead off of Eduardo Rodriguez in the top of the first, the Sox answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, then added on with solo runs in the second and third before the O's knew what hit them.
Rafael Devers, who had gone hitless in the three-game series with the Yankees, broke out with a three-hit, two-RBI night. Eduardo Nunez added two hits, including a three-run homer. J.D. Martinez also added two hits and a run batted in.
Rodriguez, in his second start, limited the Orioles to that single first-inning run. He walked two and fanned eight to capture his first victory in his second start of the season.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox took two-of-three from the Yankees and have won 10-of-12 overall, sitting in first place in the A.L. East. The Orioles are coming off a brief homestand against Toronto, during which they dropped 2-of-3. They're 5-8 and 5.5 games behind the Sox in the division. This is the first of a four-game series and the first meeting between the teams this season.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 7.36) vs. RHP Chris Tillman (0-2, 8.68)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
9:45: Not exactly efficient, but an improved over last outing for Rodriguez nonetheless. He needed 104 pitches to get through six innings.
9:34: Four at-bats for Martinez tonight and in each one, he's hit the ball hard either to center field or right - a good sign that perhaps he's starting to come on at the plate. When Martinez is dialed in, most of the damage he does comes either up the middle or to the opposite field.
9:03 Rodriguez is overpowering the Orioles at times with his four-seamer, with which he's hitting 94 mph. His last two strikeouts came on that pitch. He's struck out four of the last five hitters he's faced and seven in the first five innings.
8:15 Short night of work for Chris Tillman who allows five runs on seven hits, walks two, hits a batter and leaves the bases full with no out in the third.
8:12: Rafael Devers came into tonight 0-for-12, but in pre-game comments, Alex Cora said he liked the way Devers was dealing with the slump. Sure enough, Devers doubled to left in the first and just singled to right to open the third.
7:53: With the Orioles shifted around on Moreland and no one near the third base bag, Betts was halfway down the line, looking as though he was contemplating a steal of home.
7:48: Impressive top of the second for Eduardo Rodriguez, who strikes out the side on just 13 pitches. Efficiency was an issue for Rodriguez in his debut last Sunday, but he's been sharper tonight.
7:36: Three-run homer into the Monster Seats for Eduardo Nunez, who did not look good in the Yankee series.
7:28: J.D. Martinez counters the sacrifice fly from Adam Jones in the top of the inning. Martinez hasn't begun to get locked in at the plate, but still has 11 RBI in 13 games -- largely because of how often Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi have been on base.
LINEUPS:
RED SOX
Betts RF
Benintendi LF
Moreland 1B
Martinez DH
Devers 3B
Nunez 2B
Bradley CF
Vazquez C
Lin SS
ORIOLES
Mancini LF
Machado SS
Schoop 2B
Jones CF
Valencia DH
Davis 1B
Beckham 3B
Gentry RF
Joseph C
NEWS AND NOTES
- Predictably, Hanley Ramirez was out of the lineup, a day after being his on the right hand by a pitch from Sonny Gray. Alex Cora intends to stay away from him Thursday night, with the hope that he will be available to the team again on Saturday. The Sox are mindful of what happened with Xander Bogaerts last season. Bogaerts was hit in the hand in early July and his swing was impacted for the remainder of the season. X-rays were negative for Ramirez. With Ramirez on the bench, Mitch Moreland was at first with J.D. Martinez serving as the DH.
- RHP Steven Wright, who last threw on Wednesday, is expected to pitch again either Friday or Saturday in extended spring training. Wright is showing improvement with his knee and has been able to cover first and get off the mound to field his position. After his next start, the Sox will map out a plan which will probably involve Wright being sent out on a rehab assignment with an affiliate.
- RHP Tyler Thornburg has shown better velocity of late in extended spring training, with his fastball measured at 94-95 mph. He still needs to improve the command of his off-speed pitches.
- 3B Rafael Devers is going through a cold spell -- hitless (0-for-12) in the Yankee series and just 3-for-21 on the homestand, but Cora isn't concerned. "I'm actually pretty impressed with the way he's handled (the slump) and played defense,'' he said.