All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 13-2 win over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Red Sox erupt at the plate: The five homers Thursday were the first breakout, but the Sox, apparently, were just getting started. They hit six more homers Friday -- a season high -- en route to their easiest win of the season. The combination of cozy Camden Yards and an abysmal Baltimore pitching staff proved to be too inviting a combination for Sox hitters, though it should be noted, none of the six long balls were cheapies. A few, in fact, were among the longest hit balls of the night, including one hit way over the right-field scoreboard by Brock Holt and another by Christian Vazquez, belted to deep into the seats in left. The Sox hit one in the second, two in the fourth and three in the fifth. By the end of the fifth inning, in fact, they had hit 11 homers in the span of 13 innings, including a stretch Friday that saw them belt five homers in the span of 13 plate appearances. It's scary to think that the Red Sox achieved all of this without Mookie Betts in the lineup. Betts has 19 career homers at Camden Yards, the most of any visiting player in the game. Side note: the Orioles have allowed 138 homers this season in the first 69 games, a pace that would have them surrender more than 300 for the season. (Editor's note: Good lord.)
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1139727422864199680
Slumps coming to an end: As the Red Sox build a modest winning streak of three games, they can be happy that a number of players who had been scuffling with the bat have shown encouraging signs the last few days. In addition to the awakening experienced by Jackie Bradley Jr., a development that actually began a few weeks ago, the Sox saw Eduardo Nunez snap an 0-for-20 skid with a fifth-inning single. Moreover, Michael Chavis, who had plateaued in a big way recently, homered for the second straight game. And even Rafael Devers, who had his own funk earlier this week, homered Thursday, then added three hard-hit singles in consecutive at-bats Friday.
Rodriguez does what he needs: Starter Eduardo Rodriguez was charged with going deep into the game after the Sox had trotted out seven different relievers to cover 7.2 innings Thursday when David Price couldn't get out of the second inning. One way or another, Rodriguez was going to need to go deep, so as to stay away from the bullpen as much as possible. When he yielded a solo homer to Trey Mancini, the second hitter he faced in the first inning, it looked like it had the makings of a rough night for the lefty. The second inning wasn't much better as the Orioles put runners at second and third with one out. But Rodriguez got out of that jam and two things happened, not unrelated: his teammates began clubbing the ball out of the ballpark, and Rodriguez became more aggressive. After allowing the first two hitters to reach in the second, Rodriguez then retired the next 12 hitters in a row. Again, because of the workload the previous night, Rodriguez had to stay out there and gave the Sox seven strong innings, allowing only three hits after the second. Perhaps the Sox should have known they were going to have a bust-out game at the plate because Rodriguez always seems to get strong run support when he's on the mound.
TURNING POINT
Seriously? In a 13-2 game? Perhaps it was the exchange of lineup cards prior to the first pitch. Because that's when it all started to go downhill for the O's. But instead, let's go with the first homer of the night from J.D. Martinez, which happened to be the second homer in the fourth inning and stretch the visitor's lead to 6-1 and sent the rout in motion.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1139694079057571840
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Earlier in the week, Martinez had what was arguably his worst game of the year, fanning four times. Since then, he's homered Thursday then went deep twice Friday in Baltimore, giving him three homers in two games.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Bradley continues to be rejuvenated, homering for the second straight game and also adding a double and walk.
ONE DOWN
Xander Bogaerts: Bogaerts, who had the game-winning homer Thursday night at Fenway, was the only member of the Red Sox starting lineup without at least one hit Friday.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"What'd they hit, like, six homers today? I lost count after the third one.'' Eduardo Rodriguez on his teammates' offensive outburst.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- For the second-straight game, Josh Smith got the final three outs of the game for the Red Sox.
- This marked the first time since 2002 that the Red Sox had enjoyed two consecutive games with five homers or more.
- The six homers hit by the Red Sox represented a season high.
- Catcher Christian Vazquez has now played three different positions in the infield -- first, second and third -- this season.