
(David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)
Boston Red Sox pitcher Kutter Crawford (50) on the mound against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Fenway Park.
FINAL: Orioles 7, Red Sox 5 - Bullpen blows 5-0 lead, solid start by Crawford to drop series vs. O’s
The good times seemed to be back, with the Red Sox up 5-0 after five innings with a two-run single by Connor Wong and two-run homer by Triston Casas the highlights.
And they reality bit ... again.
The Red Sox allowed three runs in the six and four runs in the seventh - off Chris Martin, mind you - as the hometown team imploded again to lose 7-5.
In the sixth there was an error by Tyler O'Neill. The seventh featured a passed ball on Wong, a wild pitch, a catcher's interference on Wong, another wild pitch and then Jordan Westburg launched a three-run moon shot for the go-ahead homer that stood up.
"Trying to get a shutdown inning there (in the sixth) after scoring two, didn't happen," Alex Cora told reporters. "With Chris, he was off. Bloop single. Walk. Catcher's interference. We were one pitch away from getting out of it and that pitch sailed over the plate and that kid put a good swing on it."
Boston wasted a strong start by Kutter Crawford, who threw five scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and four walks with six strikeouts and a hit batter.
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WHO: Baltimore Orioles (6-4) at Red Sox (7-4)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park.
SERIES TO DATE: 1-0 Orioles.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Kutter Crawford (0-0, 0.84) vs. LHP Cole Irvin (0-1, 7.20)
TV/RADIO: NESN, MLB Network, WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Jarren Duran, LF
Tyler O’Neill, RF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Triston Casas, 1B
Romy González, SS
Pablo Reyes, 2B
Masataka Yoshida, DH
Connor Wong, C
Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
SP Kutter Crawford
Orioles
Gunnar Henderson, SS
Adley Rutschman, C
Anthony Santander, RF
Ryan O’Hearn, DH
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
Cedric Mullins, CF
Colton Cowser, LF
Jordan Westburg, 3B
Jackson Holliday, 2B
SP Cole Irvin
WHAT'S UP
Lefty relief pitcher Chris Murphy will have Tommy John surgery. Murphy, who was competing for a spot in the bullpen, was shut down during the middle of spring training with elbow pain.
“(He was going) to be a big part of us,” Alex Cora told reporters on Tuesday. “Multiple-inning lefty that can get righties out. He did an amazing job last year getting righties. Velocity was good but the pitchability was great. He was going to be part of this.”
Gonzalez and Reyes get the middle infield platoon against left-hander Cole Irvin.
Jackson Holliday, one of MLB's top prospect, will make his MLB debut in the 9 hole for the Orioles.
Tyler O’Neill has hit 6 HR, tied with Mike Trout for the MLB lead... No other AL player has more than 4 HR.
Crawford did not factor into the decision on 4/5 at LAA (4.2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 SO)...Retired 12 of his first 14 batters faced (1-for-13, 1 BB).