All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 2-1 win over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Outfield to the rescue: In their own way, all three Red Sox outfielders made huge contributions to the win. Right fielder Mookie Betts hit a two-out solo homer in the third that was the only run the Red Sox scored until extra innings arrived and the only run scored by either team until the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the 12th, left fielder Andrew Benintendi provided the game-winner with a solo homer of his own -- this one to right field off Baltimore reliever Yefry Ramirez. But the most important contribution may have come from centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr, who was hitless (with a walk) in five plate appearance, but nonetheless saved the game for the Sox in the bottom of the 11th. Trey Mancini hammered a pitch from Ryan Brasier, and as soon as contact was made, Brasier hung his head, believing that Mancini had hit it well enough to end the game. And indeed he had, but Bradley raced over from almost 100 feet away, and timing his leap perfectly, reached way above the wall in left-center to bring the ball back from the Orioles bullpen. Mancini, who had rounded first believing that he had won the game, stopped dejectedly and tipped his helmet in appreciation.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1126319208936218624
Sale turns in best outing of year: It's official —you can stop worrying about Chris Sale now. Sale, who was brilliant in his last start in Chicago, was even better Wednesday night, limiting the Orioles to one run on three hits over eight innings, striking out 14, one shy of his career high. Sale no-hit the Orioles until two were out in the sixth as Joey Rickard served a soft line single into left. Mancini then followed with a run-scoring double to the gap. But that was all the damage that could be done against Sale, who didn't walk a batter though he did hit two. He finished with a flourish, too, fanning five of the last seven hitters he faced, including three in a row in the seventh on nine pitches, thus becoming the fifth Red Sox pitcher since 2002 to record an "Immaculate Inning.'' In his last four starts, Sale's ERA is 1.73 while his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 42-6. He also got 23 swings-and-misses Wednesday night, evidence of the bite to his slider and the premium velocity and action on his fastball.
Bullpen almost flawless: If you're willing to ignore the fact that Brasier very nearly blew the game until Bradley rescued him with his miraculous catch, the Red Sox bullpen nearly perfect. Matt Barnes, Brandon Workman, Brasier and Heath Hembree combined to throw four innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. Workman's hitless streak continued -- he hasn't given up a hit to the last 38 batters he's faced. Barnes bailed himself out of a jam after allowing a leadoff double, freezing two runners in scoring position to send the game to extra innings. And after Brasier survived his scare, adding two strikeouts of his own, Hembree came on to protect the one-run lead in the 12th and promptly struck out the side.
SECOND GUESS
Mookie Betts was guilty of trying to do too much on the bases in the eighth inning. Betts was on first with Xander Bogaerts at the plate and two out. As Bogaerts swung, Betts was off with the pitch. The ball was a blistering shot hit directly at Baltimore third baseman Hanser Alberto, and clanged off his glove. As Alberto went to try to pick the ball up, he kicked it away, half-way between third and second. Betts, seeing the ball in the basepath, tried to catch the O's sleeping and took off from second to third. But an alert Jonathan Villar retrieved the ball and got Betts at third easily. It was a costly mistake, ending the inning.
ONE UP
Sandy Leon: In addition to guiding Sale and others through a long night from behind the plate, Leon contributed two singles in five at-bats, marking his first multi-hit game since last July 15.
ONE DOWN
J.D. Martinez: The Sox' DH had a rare hitless night at the plate, going 0-f0r-6.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He timed that up perfectly. I've seen him make that catch a few times now, so it's nothing new.'' Andrew Benintendi on Jackie Bradley Jr.'s game-saving catch in the 11th.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox improved to 2-1 in extra-inning games this season.
- The game-winning homer by Andrew Benintendi was his first to right field this season.
- The Sox have now won three straight series.
- This is the second straight winning road trip for the Sox.
- Heath Hembree's save was the first of his career.
