BALTIMORE -- All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 5-1 victory over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight.
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sale explodes in frustration ... and won't back down: In Chris Sale's estimation -- and that of many others -- home plate umpire Brian Knight had a poor day behind the plate. Looking at some pitch/FX diagrams, it appeared Knight missed four or five pitches with Sale, and the Red Sox' lefty let him know about it as he left the mound in the seventh, then came back to the top step of the dugout later to make sure he got his point across. And Sale wasn't exactly contrite afterward. "I like to compete and when I have something taken away from me, I get pretty emotional,'' said Sale. "Stuff happens, man. I'm not big on apologies or going back on things I've done. It happened. It is what it is. We'll move forward.'' The larger point was Sale's performance, which, other than some shaky command at times (four walks, tying a season high), was vintage Sale, with one run allowed over six with nine strikeouts.
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Mookie picks up where he left off: In his second game back after missing just over two weeks with a left abdominal strain, Mookie Betts showed he hasn't lost his touch at the plate, homering to center in his second at-bat and later working a walk, alertly moving up a base on a dirt ball and scoring on a sacrifice fly. "Yes and no,'' said Betts, when asked if he had surprised himself by hitting well despite not having the benefit of a rehab assignment. "I have put in some work, as far as tracking pitches and what-not, trying to stay as close to game-ready as I can. But going out and putting up some good swings is definitely something that I'm proud of.'' Freed of any worry that he might aggravate the injury, Betts appears on intent on picking up right where he left off before he was sidelined. "The quality of the at-bats has been incredible,'' said Alex Cora.
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JBJ struggles, but Cora backs slumping outfielder: The box score wasn't pretty for Jackie Bradley Jr.: 0-for-4 with a strikeout. In fact, the last week hasn't been good -- with the sole exception of a home run on Saturday at Fenway -- as Bradley is hitless in his last 17 at-bats and has seen his average dip back to .181. But Bradley did hit the ball hard twice Wednesday -- lining out to center in the third and lining out to first in the ninth -- and Cora sees that as positive. "Everybody looks at Jackie's stretch,'' said Cora, "but the people who are watching the game (can see) he's getting close. He hit two missiles today, (Tuesday) the same thing. It looks like he's catching up to the fastball and being very disciplined. He's in a good spot. After the game, I told him, 'Don't change a thing - stay right there.' I know it's frustrating sometimes. He hits another bullet right at somebody and I don't even know what to say anymore, because I've been in that spot. But if he stays with the process, he'll be fine.''
SECOND GUESS
Even though Chris Sale will have the benefit of an extra day of rest before he makes his next start, Tuesday in Minnesota, the Red Sox might have done well to end his day after six innings and 96 pitches. The Sox had a 5-0 lead at the time and even with an overworked bullpen, clearly had enough relievers to get the final nine outs. Instead, Sale went out and labored through 13 pitches, walking both batters he faced, before coming out of the game. If the Sox are truly interested in preserving Sale for the fall, they should take every advantage to curtail his workload; on Wednesday, they missed a chance to do that.
TWO UP
Justin Haley: Haley made his Red Sox debut in mopping up the final two innings and helped save the rest of the bullpen with two scoreless frames.
Andrew Benintendi: In five plate appearances, Benintendi reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Then again, that was nothing new as he reached base 10 times in 15 plate appearances.
ONE DOWN
Xander Bogaerts; The Red Sox shortstop had a long afternoon, going hitless in four at-bats, including a strikeout and a double play. He stranded two baserunners, though he did contribute a sacrifice fly in the three-run fifth.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"Maybe it's just my place.''
— Mookie Betts, attempting to explain his success at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
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- The sweep by the Red Sox was their sixth of the season and third on the road.
- Boston is now 9-1 against the Orioles and 28-10 in the A.L. East.
- Rafael Devers extended his hitting streak to eight games.
- J.D. Martinez has five homers in 10 games against the Orioles this season.
- Brock Holt made his first start at first base this season.
- Sale posted his 10th quality start of the season.