All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-4 win, complete with BSJ insight and analysis.
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Winning streak hits five with more late-game heroics: In the first 10 days of the season, the Red Sox have shown some mettle. For the second time in the last four games, the Red Sox managed to tie the game in the ninth inning, then win it in extra innings. After they let a one-run lead get away in the eighth, the Sox tied in the ninth -- just as they had done last Tuesday against Tampa Bay -- and manufactured a couple more in the top of the 10th. The first run scored on a wild pitch and the second on a run-scoring single to left by Christian Vazquez. "They didn't stop playing today,'' said Alex Cora. "It wasn't a perfect game, but they kept grinding at-bats. We needed everybody today.'' Indeed, the Sox used all but one position player and five different relievers to pulls this out. "We're vibing with each other,'' said starting pitcher Garrett Richards, who rebounded from allowing back-to-homers in the first inning to contribute four more scoreless innings. "People want to talk about other teams but this team will be there. I promise you that.''
J.D. Martinez sidelined with COVID-19 protocols: Martinez reported to the ballpark and informed the staff that he was experiencing cold symptoms. That automatically triggered the start of COVID-19 protocols, and he underwent several tests. About a half hour before gametime, Martinez was placed on the COVID-19 related IL, which does not require a minimum stay. Essentially, it provided the Red Sox with the opportunity to replace Martinez on the active roster so they didn't have to play a man short. Michael Chavis was added from the traveling taxi squad that accompanies the team on the road, and Chavis served as a pinch-runner to score the go-ahead run in the 10th inning on a wild pitch. Martinez, meanwhile, will continue to take more tests, as he will require multiple negatives. ''We'll know more in the morning,'' said Cora. Martinez's illness comes at a time when he's carried the team offensively through the first seven games, ranking among the league leaders in doubles and RBI. He also had at least one extra-base hit in each of his first seven games.
Richards rebounds: Through the first seven games of the season, Garrett Richards was the one Boston starter who didn't turn in a good outing. And when the Sox staked him to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, only to have Richards allow homers on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the inning, it looked like he was in for another rough night. But he battled through the remainder of the inning and over the next 4.2 innings, allowed just one more hit while keeping the Orioles off the board. "Throwing a lot of strikes, that's been my main focus - just filling up the zone,'' he said. "I know when I get ahead in the count, I can make some things happen. Just keep the foot on the gas, keep moving forward and keep making pitches. That was my main focus.''
TURNING POINT
In the top of the ninth, with the Sox trailing by a run, slumping Bobby Dalbec came to the plate with runners at the corners and one out. Dalbec hit a hard grounder to short and busted down the line, just beating the throw to first that would have completed a double play and ending the game. Dalbec has had trouble just making contact of late, but he managed to put the ball in play and then used some hustle to beat the double play attempt as the tying run crossed the plate.
TWO UP
Matt Barnes: The reliever continued his dominant run with a perfect ninth inning, including two strikeouts. Barnes has faced six Orioles in this series and fanned five of them.
Rafael Devers: Devers cracked a solo homer in the sixth to snap a 3-2 tie and also made a superb backhanded stop of a ball behind the bag in the eighth to save two runs.
TWO DOWN
Adam Ottavino: After working out of a one-on, one-out mess in the seventh, Ottavino was roughed up for the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth, earning a blown save.
Rafael Devers: It was a strange night for the third baseman, who in addition to some positives, also got himself picked off first base before failing to tag a would-be base stealer because he had forgotten how many outs there were in the second inning.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"When I hit that, I was flying. Well, flying for me.'' Bobby Dalbec, 6-for-5, on beating out a potential double-play ball as the winning run scored in the ninth inning.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox became the first AL team since the 2003 Toronto Blue Jays to start the season with three losses and follow that with five straight wins.
- In every one of the wins in their five-game winning streak, the Red Sox have scored at least six runs.
- After not allowing any homers in their first six games, the Red Sox, for the second straight game, had their starter allow two.
- Boston's starters have allowed three runs or fewer in seven of their eight games.