Nick Pivetta earned a win in his Red Sox debut and Bobby Dalbec and Christian Vazquez combined for five RBI as the Red Sox won their second straight, bashing the Baltimore Orioles, 8-3.
Pivetta, obtained last month in a trade with the Phillies, allowed a run on four hits over five innings while striking out eight. He allowed a first-inning run, but nothing thereafter.
Vazquez cranked a three-run homer in the four-run sixth while Dalbec knocked in a run with a single and another with a double.
WHO: Red Sox (19-34) vs. Baltimore Orioles (22-31)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: BAL 4-3
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nick Pivetta (0-0, 15.88) vs. LHP Keegan Akin (1-1, 3.38)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Verdugo RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Vazquez C
Bradley CF
Dalbec 1B
Chavis LF
Arauz 2B
ORIOLES
Mullins CF
Hays RF
Mountcastle 1B
Nunez 3B
Stewart LF
Severino C
Alberto 2B
Ruiz 3B
Urias SS
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T7th: Error by Devers at third; that should have been his second. Rough night all around -- one error and four strikeouts.
B6th: Christian Vazquez into the monster seats with two on, as Sox blow it open, 8-3.
B6th: Second hard-hit line double of the evening for Martinez, who drives one to right, scoring Arauz.
T6th: Chavis is having a brutal inning in left field. He completely misplayed a liner right at him by Severino and wass charged for an error and just misjudged another ball that went for a double.
T6th: Alex Verdugo is bound and determined to throw a baserunner out at first tonight. Has charged two singles and made strong throws to first on Ramon Urias in the fifth and just now with D.J. Stewart.
T6th: Renato Nunez takes the third pitch from Marcus Walden and hits it over everything.
T5th: Assuming that at 96 pitches and five innings, that's it for Pivetta, whose debut was quite good. One run on four hits over five innings with eight strikeouts. Three walks was the only black mark.
B4th: Well, that threat disappeared quickly. Sox had first-and-third, no out and 2-3-4 due. But after Arauz was picked off, Devers fanned and Bogaerts lined out to second and the Sox come up empty.
B4th: Jonathan Arauz caught napping at third base, picked off by O's catcher Pedro Severino.
B3rd: Dalbec connects for his second run-scoring hit of the night -- this one, a single that he shoots to the right of second base, scoring Xander Bogaerts. As impressive as the massive homers can be, it's nice to see Dalbec connecting and putting the ball in play more regularly - and still doing damage.
B3rd: There's no hotter hitter now than Jackie Bradley Jr., who lines a sharp single to RF, giving him two hits tonight and six in the last two days.
B2nd: Sox get a gift run when Orioles left fielder D.J. Stewart, charging in, drops a routine flyball, enabling Dalbec to score and Alex Verdugo to reach.
B2nd: Michael Chavis, who had a season-high five RBI Sunday, drives home another sacrifice liner to center.
B2nd: Bobby Dalbec lines a double to the base of The Wall, scoring Christian Vazquez, tying the game.
T2nd: So far, Nick Pivetta has been as advertised -- owner of a lively fastball, but trouble with command. He's got five strikeouts, two walks and 41 pitches through two innings.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- To make room for Nick Pivetta on the major league roster, the Red Sox optioned RHP Robert Stock to the alternate training site. Pivetta's pitch count is up, but he hasn't pitch in an organized game in some time. "We'll see how the game goes and how he progresses,'' said Ron Roenicke. "Hopefully, he's out there quite a while and we get to see what he's all about.''
- INF Christian Arroyo remained sidelined with back spasms, but Roenicke said Arroyo was much improved. He was due to take some swings, run and make some throws to further test himself with the expectation that he will be available again Wednesday.
- The Red Sox are three games behind the Orioles in the standings and a sweep could enable the Sox to finish in fourth rather than fifth and last in the A.L. East. But Roenicke said that wouldn't be much of a consolation prize. "I don't think it's ever fun to finish in last, so to get out of last would be nice,'' he said. "But we've had a tough season to where, even if that happens, we know we're going to be disappointed. Unless this team is going to the playoffs, I think anything else is a disappointment. So whether it's third, fourth or fifth, it's a disappointment. I don't really look at it that way.''