All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 8-3 win over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Pivetta's debut impressive: Making his first start against major league hitters in more than a year, Nick Pivetta gave the Red Sox a strong outing, allowing just one run over five innings with eight strikeouts. Pivetta had been at the team's alternate training site to work on his pitch mix and some issues with his delivery, and after misfiring with his fastball command in the early going (two walks in the first inning), Pivetta showed what it was that attracted the Red Sox to him. "Being able to go out there with a solid mix of four pitches, which I showcased pretty well tonight, that's what we've been working on," he said. Early on, he had some difficulty spotting his curveball, so he went to the slider and got seven swings-and-misses on it. "They were chasing the slider,'' said catcher Christian Vazquez, "so we kept using it.'' Pivetta will go again Sunday in the final game of the season in Atlanta, but even two starts in the final week of the season can be important and leave an impression on the organization. "I think it's huge,'' he said. "I'm being given two opportunities to showcase myself and do the best I possibly can, so I'm looking forward to every opportunity I have.''
Martinez starting to swing it: When J.D. Martinez homered in his final at-bat Sunday, it seemed fairly meaningless. The Red Sox were comfortably ahead in the eighth inning when Martinez, who was 0-for-4 in his first four trips, homered to left. But perhaps something clicked for Martinez in that at-bat. On Tuesday night, he lashed three straight doubles -- two to left and one to right -- and every one of them was hit hard. Hitting coach Tim Hyers noted over the weekend that Martinez has been unable to align his lower half, making his swing too long at times, and in his first two plate appearances, Martinez seemed out of sync at times. But in the last three at-bats, it seemed like he had figured some things out, with quicker approaches to fastballs. Most encouraging that was perhaps the hardest-hit ball of the night was the double to right-center, where Martinez has, over the years, done so much of his damage.
Hernandez shows life in fastball: Darwinzon Hernandez spent a few weeks on the IL with a strained SC joint after his first few appearances this season showed that his fastball velocity was down considerably from last year. Hernandez has been building back arm strength and on Tuesday, he finally had something approximating the lively fastball he displayed as a rookie last year. Coming in for the seventh, he overcame an error behind him and then struck out two of the next three hitters he faced. Even better, his fastball consistently sat at 95-96 mph and he managed to touch 97 mph a few times. For the most part, this has been a lost season for Hernandez, who missed the first month as he recovered from COVID-19, then got sidelined again with his shoulder ailment. But down the stretch, he's reminded the Red Sox of the live and valuable arm he has and the future he can play for them -- either in the bullpen or in the rotation.
TURNING POINT
In the very first inning, things nearly got away from Pivetta. With two outs, he issued his second walk of the inning, then a run-scoring single to center, giving the Orioles runners on first and second with a run already. It wasn't hard to imagine the inning -- and outing -- going sideways quickly. But he straightened out and got Pedro Severino swinging to strand two runners and over the next four innings, allowed just more hits and a walk.
TWO UP
Bobby Dalbec: No tape measure homers on this night, but some quality at-bats with a run-scoring double, an RBI-single and a walk.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: In what could well be his final week in a Red Sox uniform, Bradley is riding a hot streak at the plate. He banged out four hits Sunday before adding two more and a walk in Tuesday's romp.
ONE DOWN
Rafael Devers: It was a long night all around for the third baseman. He fanned four times at the plate and in the field, he was charged one error and easily could have been assessed another.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He was dominant with everything. A lot of swing-and-miss up in the zone with the four-seamer and with the slider, too.'' Christian Vazquez on newcomer Nick Pivetta.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
- Alex Verdugo has two hits, extending his hitting streak to nine games.
- Nick Pivetta became the 16th pitcher to start a game for the Sox this season.
- Jonathan Arauz has a multi-hit (two singles) game for the first time since Aug. 23.