All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 9-1 win over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Porcello goes six strong, doesn't allow a home run: Rick Porcello continued his yo-yo season when, after allowing five runs (two homers) in five innings in a 12-4 blowout loss to the Angels, he responded with six strong innings (four hits, one run) against the helpless Orioles on Friday night. But probably the most important number was zero — as in, zero home runs allowed. It was the first time in nine starts (13 home runs) Porcello hadn't allowed anyone to go yard against him. “It’s been four or five starts where I’ve felt like myself and I felt pretty good throwing the ball,” Porcello said. “The results aren’t always great and that’s the part you need to have. As far as what we’ve been working on and what I’m capable of doing, it’s been coming around nicely and it’s unfortunate it’s happened this late in the season but I feel good."
Benintendi stays hot: Andrew Benintendi came a home run shy of the cycle as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Benintendi put Boston ahead for good in the bottom of the fourth with a scorching one-out triple into the triangle. Benintendi is hitting .394 since July 22 with 13 doubles and five homers.
Price getting closer to a return: David Price, whose last start came Aug. 4 before a cyst was detected and treated in his left wrist, played catch prior to Friday’s game with the Orioles. “The goal is to get him on the mound this week,” Alex Cora said. “We’ll talk with him a little bit after batting practice, see how he felt and map out the rest of the week.”
Red Sox honored family of Nick Cafardo: The Red Sox honored the family of late Boston Globe baseball writer Nick Cafardo, who died Feb. 21 at age 62, before the game. The ceremony included his wife, Leeanne; son Ben and daughter-in-law Tracy; daughter Emilee and two grandchildren, Noah and Annabella.
TURNING POINT
It was still a 3-1 game in the sixth as the Red Sox loaded the bases after J.D. Martinez was hit by a pitch, Benintendi singled, Christian Vazquez had a sac bunt, and pinch-hitter Sam Travis was intentionally walked. With Marco Hernandez due up, Cora made the strange choice to pinch-hit Chris Owings, who was 0 for his last 14. Of course, he laced a two-run double for his first hit as a Red Sox to effectively end the game at 5-1.
https://twitter.com/NESN/status/1162532794465173506
TWO UP
Rafael Devers: Red-hot Raffy was 2-for-4 and now leads MLB with 162 hits. He's on pace for 210 hits, the most by a player in a season before turning 23 since Alex Rodriguez in 1996 (213 with SEA).
Mookie Betts: Hit a solo home run in the eighth inning and finished 2 for 5 with two runs scored. He has five RBI in his last six games and 17 RBI in his last 21.
ONE DOWN
Christian Vazquez: Went 0 for 3 with two runners left on base, including a brutal three-pitch strikeout with Benintendi at third and one out in the fourth inning. He was bailed out when Mitch Moreland tripled. Vazquez was also lucky his poor sac bunt wasn't thrown to third.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"That would be great if we can do this for a month and a half. If we do this for a month and a half we’re playing in October.” — Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Red Sox have won 17 of their last 18 games when their starting pitcher registers a quality start (6-plus innings, three earned runs or less). Overall, the Sox are 34-11 (.756) in quality starts this season.
- Since the start of July, Betts is batting .323/.401/.585/.986 in 41 games (53-for-164).
- Martinez has hit .415 (22-for-53) with 10 RBI in 14 games since 8/2 and .400 (38-for-95) with 22 RBI in 24 games since 7/22.
- Josh Taylor had his seventh consecutive scoreless appearance since Aug. 6th. In 29 appearances since being recalled on June 28th, he has a 1.86 ERA.
- Moreland has nine RBI in 16 games since being reinstated from the IL.