All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Winckowski's debut has its ups and downs: Righthander Josh Winckowski took the loss, allowing four runs in three innings in his big league debut. The big blow was a three-run homer by Rougned Odor, who clobbered a sinker near the bottom of the strike zone. He also walked three, which typically isn't good for business. On the other hand, Winckowski wiggled out of a bases-loaded mess that was not entirely his own doing in the first and also stranded a runner in the second inning, too. "He competed,'' said Alex Cora. "We just told him, 'Forget the results. You pitched at Fenway Park.' Think about it -- when you're a kid, you want to be a big leaguer and he's a big leaguer now. He pitched at this level. Obviously, there's some work to do. But you can see his stuff. It's really good. You can see the potential.'' Winckowski was optioned back to Worcester after the game, and said he was looking forward to getting back into his normal routine, and getting ready for his next opportunity.
Lineup goes quiet: The Red Sox have been pounding the baseball for weeks, but the bats seemed quiet and lethargic in the second game of the doubleheader. The lineup was missing J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts, and it showed. Other than the fourth inning -- when they scored their first run -- and the ninth -- when they got their second and brought the potential tying run to the plate twice in as many plate appearances after the first two hitters reached. But a fielder's choice and a game-ending double play off the bat of Kike Hernandez ended the threat. The Sox were back to some old habits, collecting just one hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. It's not as if the Sox were up against an ace. Former Red Sox farmhand Denyi Reyes started and went 3.2 innings before the bullpen stitched together the 16 outs. The Sox had their chances, but couldn't fully capitalize.
TURNING POINT
In the fourth inning, with the Orioles already leading 4-0, the Red Sox began to stir offensively. A leadoff double by Trevor Story and a one-out single from Christian Vazquez produced the first run. Then, Franchy Cordero worked a walk, giving the Sox two on and just one out. They looked to have the makings of a big inning, but both Bobby Dalbec and Jackie Bradley Jr. went down swinging, stranding two and the Sox didn't really threaten again until the ninth inning.
TWO UP
Boston bullpen: There was little to complain about the relievers in this one. They took over after the third inning and six different pitchers combined to toss six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.
Christian Vazquez: The Red Sox had nine hits as a team and Vazquez alone had three of them -- two singles and a double -- and he knocked in the first run in the fourth inning.
TWO DOWN
Rafael Devers: After a stretch of games in which he was among the hottest hitters in the game, the inevitable cooling off came and he was hitless in four trips to the plate.
Christian Arroyo: He was 0-for-4 hitting at the bottom of the lineup and also committed a throwing error while filling in at shortstop.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Kind of really bad, if you ask me. I needed to throw a lot more strikes than that. But it is what it is. Still a really awesome experience.'' Josh Winckowski, asked to characterize his major league debut.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Over his last 10 games, Christian Vazquez has 11 RBI. He's hitting .343 with an OPS of .868 in the month of May.
* Trevor Story has scored 12 runs in his last nine games.
* After just four RBI in his first 21 games, Christian Arroyo has four RBI in his last five games.
* Kike Hernandez extended his hitting streak to nine straight games.
* Austin Davis has had seven consecutive scoreless innings.
* Josh Winckowski became the first Red Sox player to make his major league debut this season.
UP NEXT
The series continues Sunday at 1:35 p.m. with RHP Nick Pivetta (3-4, 4.25) vs. LHP Bruce Zimmerman (2-3, 3.78)