All you need to know about the Red Sox' 3-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles in quickie form, with BSJ analysis and insight.
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sale dominant in shorter stint: Due to the miserable conditions -- 34 degrees at gametime -- Sale was on a short leash. He left after five innings and 93 pitches, and Alex Cora revealed that he was tempted to take Sale out after just four innings because of the cold. But while Sale was in, he dominated. He gave up a run three batters in, but thereafter, he retired 14 of the last 16 hitters he faced and didn't allow another hit. He racked up eight strikeouts and allowed only two balls out of the infield all afternoon. "Going into the game,'' said Cora, "we knew the conditions were going to be (miserable) and for us to give us five and a chance to win the game -- that's what we were asking for.''
Bench plays a big part: The Red Sox got plenty of contributions from role players in the victory. Brock Holt, starting at second, used some hustle to beat out an infield hit with two outs in the sixth to extend the inning, as the Sox took the lead for good. Tzu-Wei Lin, starting at short, had two hits including a run-scoring double. And Mitch Moreland, getting the start at first, smacked two doubles -- one of which scored the go-ahead run -- and a single in four at-bats. "Today was about different guys,'' Cora said. "That's the good thing about us -- on a daily basis, our lineup is going to score runs regardless of the combination we put out there.''
Bullpen coming along: There was plenty of focus on the bullpen on Opening Day when Joe Kelly and Carson Smith combined to give us six runs in an inning. But since the first game, the bullpen ERA has been a respectable 3.63. On Sunday, the Sox got four shutout innings from Heath Hembree (two frames), Matt Barnes and Craig Kimbrel. The trio allowed just two baserunners in four innings. "We feel going into each game if we get 18 outs out of the starter,'' said Cora, "we can go different ways (with the bullpen) We feel good about our bullpen. They've been outstanding.''
TURNING POINT
The Orioles helped bring about their own demise in the sixth inning. Baltimore led 1-0, but third baseman Danny Valencia booted a grounder to put J.D. Martinez on, and after a double by Moreland, starter Dylan Bundy tossed a wild pitch, enabling Martinez to alertly break for home and score the go-ahead run.
Just. Speed. pic.twitter.com/qr2SMXluoy
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 15, 2018
That's a way to stay warm. ? pic.twitter.com/0pbJbjE8Pe
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 15, 2018
- The last A.L. team to start 13-2 -- as the Red Sox have -- was the Milwaukee Brewers in 1987, who began 14-1.
- The Sox had four doubles and lead the majors this season with 47.
- The Sox have won each of their first five series.
- Since the start of 2017, Chris Sale leads the majors in starts (18) with one or zero runs allowed.