All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 5-4 loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Intro to extra-inning rule: Saturday night marked the Red Sox' introduction to the newly-instituted rule in which teams get to put a baserunner on second base to start any extra innings. It seemed to be working well for the Sox in the top of the 10th when Orioles reliever Cole Sulser, inheriting Alex Verdugo on second, issued three straight one-out walks to force in a go-ahead run. But when it came time for Matt Barnes and the Red Sox to deal with it, they didn't. A fielder's choice on a bunt followed by a wild pitch tied the game. An infield hit and an intentional walk came next. After a strikeout of Andrew Velazquez, Ron Roenicke brought in Jackie Bradley Jr, as the fifth infielder and Pedro Severino foiled the strategy by lining a single to the vacant center field, ending the game. "It was interesting,'' said Roenicke. "You get after it right away and try to figure out what you're going to do.''
Bullpen blows two leads: Oh, the irony. The first game after the Red Sox trade away Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree, they couldn't hold late-inning leads --- twice. In the eighth, with two down and a 1-and-2 count and the Sox four outs away from their fourth straight win, Josh Taylor allowed a two-run homer to Anthony Santander, tying the game. Then, in the 10th, Matt Barnes, who's effectively replacing Workman as the team's closer, gave up the tying run when he threw a wild pitch, then gave up the game-winner on a bases-loaded single. On Friday night, the Sox bullpen allowed five runs between the seventh and eighth, but it didn't matter as much because they had streaked to an 8-0 lead and had a cushion. But Saturday night, the margin for error wasn't nearly as big and it backfired on the Sox when they couldn't get the outs the needed late in the game.
Starting to click: For the second time in this series, the Red Sox got seven strong innings on one-run ball from their starter. In the series opener, it was Nate Eovaldi; Saturday night, it was Martin Perez, who allowed a solo homer in the second and then little else. Perez also flashed his best fastball of the season, hitting 94-95 mph several times. Perez attributed the improved velocity to a change in his workout program between starts, which generated a little more power with his lower body. "I've been doing better and better and better,'' said Perez. "I was more aggressive, and I had good explosion with all of my pitches. I started using my fastball more. Everything was great.'' In the last five games, Red Sox starters have compiled a 1.75 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Is it any wonder that they're 4-1 in those five games?
TURNING POINT
Perhaps the way things were going, it wouldn't have mattered. But with the extra runner on second to start the bottom of the 10th and Cedric Mullins getting a bunt down to the first base side, Mitch Moreland fielded the ball and elected to try to cut the lead runner, Rio Ruiz, at third base. But with no force play at third, the Sox had to tag the runner and couldn't, leaving them with first and third and no out. It got worse from there.
TWO UP
Alex Verdugo: Once again, Verdugo was in the middle of everything, He had two doubles -- including one that scored a run, In the outfield, he threw out Renato Nunez at the plate in the fourth.
Kevin Pillar: Pillar's habit of giving up his body to make big plays in the outfield continued when he robbed Ryan Mountcastle of extra-bases to lead off the fifth, crashing into the scoreboard as he did so. Pillar also added an RBI single.
ONE DOWN
Rafael Devers: After breaking out the last few days, the third baseman had a quiet night, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It was weird. It felt like Little League out there.'' Martin Perez on dealing with the extra-inning baserunner rule for the first time this season.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The outfield assist for Verdugo was his fifth of the season.
- Verdugo also extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
- Jackie Bradley Jr's home run was his first this season and 10th of his career in Baltimore.
- The loss was just the second in the last 26 tries for the Red Sox at Camden Yards.