All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight
HEADLINES
Hosmer delivers: Eric Hosmer has been with the Red Sox exactly a week, but Thursday night represented his first chance to feel that he had truly contributed to a win for his new team. In the bottom of the sixth inning, with J.D. Martinez on first base and two out, Hosmer drove a ball into the triangle in center field for a run-scoring double. Martinez, scoring all the way from first, would score what turned out to be the game-winning run. "It feels good to contribute,'' said Hosmer. "Coming over to a new club, coming over to a new home stadium, you want to contribute right away and you want to settle in as quick as possible. I feel like I've been putting some good swings on the ball, so it was nice to get some results on one today.''
Winckowski gets into sixth: The Red Sox' bullpen was pretty thin after the last series with Atlanta, so Alex Cora hoped that starter Josh Winckowski would go deep enough into the game to help preserve some of the relievers. Indeed, Winckowski came very close to giving the Sox six full innings, but he fumbled a slow roller on the transfer, allowing an infield hit that resulted in the Orioles scoring the tying run from third. Still, 5.2 innings represented a good showing for Winckowski, who had shut out Baltimore for the first five innings before they used a single, a walk, a fielder's choice, a triple and the infield single to plate three against him. He didn't get credit for the win, but he gave the Sox almost as much as they needed.
Milestones for Bogaerts: It was quite the night for shortstop Xander Bogaerts. In four trips to the plate, he was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a sacrifice fly. More to the point, his first inning double was the 300th of his career, making Bogaerts the eighth player in franchise history to hit at least 150 homers and collect 300 or more doubles. He's also just the second player in Red Sox history to reach those numbers before he turns 30; Carl Yastrzemski was the first. Bogaerts also becomes only the second shortstop in all of Major League Baseball to do it before 30, joining Alex Rodriguez in that exclusive club.
TURNING POINT
After Wednesday's loss, manager Alex Cora noted that slumping DH J.D. Martinez was not being selective enough and was swinging at pitches outside the strike zone. Cora said it would be a good sign when Martinez began to draw some walks. Then, as if on cue, Martinez worked a critical walk with two out in the sixth inning. That set the stage for Hosmer, who smoked a ball to the triangle, deep enough to score Martinez all the way from first for what proved to be the winning run. It was just his seventh walk in the last 30 games.
TWO UP
Matt Barnes: Barnes had one of his best outings in an otherwise rough season, with two strikeouts, including one to freeze a baserunner at third base.
John Schreiber: Schreiber has been worked to death of late and his velocity is down from fatigue, but he gutted through two innings and allowed just one baserunner while recording the six-out save.
TWO DOWN
Rafael Devers: The third baseman continues to scuffle at the plate. He was 0-for-4 Thursday and is now just 2-for-25 over his last six starts.
Kevin Plawecki: Plawecki was 0-for-3 as a hitter and allowed yet another stolen base, with opposing runners now 30-for-33 in attempts this season.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"They're ahead us, right, so we gained ground today. I know that math doesn't help us, but when teams are playing each other, we have to win. We haven't done that in a month.'' Alex Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The Red Sox have 24 extra-base hits (20 doubles, four homers) in their last four home games.
* Three of John Schreiber's four saves this year have been for more than an inning.
* Alex Verdugo has a .500 OBP over the last six games.
* Tommy Pham has scored at least one run in seven of his nine games since joining the Sox.
* Josh Winckowski has gone at least five innings in nine of his 11 starts.
UP NEXT: The Red Sox host the Yankees in the first of three Friday night at 7:10 p.m. with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-3, 4.23) vs. RHP Domingo German (1-2, 5.09).