They’re also 5-1 in their last six home games. Boston has had issues beating the Orioles in previous meetings.

Despite both teams seemingly out of playoff contention, they are still battling to stay out of the cellar of the AL East. The Red Sox sent their rookie Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound, while Baltimore had Kevin Gausman toe the slab. Orioles Get Run In First, Pitching Dominates Early On The Red Sox did not take advantage of a wild Gausman early on.

The Orioles (71-74) have won three straight series and lost just two of their past eight contests. But the fifth pitch wasn’t far enough outside, and Ortiz crushed it to dead-away center to reach thirty-five homers for the sixth time in his career. Rodriguez was a highly touted prospect in the Baltimore Orioles’ Minor League system before being traded him to Boston last season for left-handed closer Andrew Miller. “Just a great story”, beamed Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo.

He had won his last eight games. “But, like I said, we’re trying to pay Taz back for what he’s done for us“. The O’s had five 1-2-3 innings in the game, which is certainly a way to get a 3-hit shutout. RHP Drew Hutchison, hammered in two starts at Fenway Park this season and 13-3 overall, despite a 5.07 ERA, starts for the Jays in the series finale Wednesday night. So… was Kelly really injured, or did Boston want their reliever to have an indefinite amount of time to warm up? Jackie Bradley Jr. walked to lead off the inning and scored on a Brock Holt single, and Pedroia followed with a two-run homer two batters later to make it 5-0 Sox.

Baltimore was 62-57 before losing 12 of 13. He’s under contract for two more seasons, having been given an extension in spring training, but has heard little about his job security from president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

The Orioles have overtaken the Tampa Bay Rays with their current three-game winning streak, but the Twins, Indians and Angels still stand between them and the Astros, which only adds to the challenge.

It’s the sad truth of September 2015 that we’re beyond wins and losses with these Red Sox, though that unhappy point-of-view perhaps lends us better perspective on Rodriguez Monday night. He is now hitting.285 with 8 home runs and 36 RBIs.

“It shocked the hell out of me”, Francona said with a laugh Wednesday. We’re all excited about what he’s done.

The bullpen needed to step up because starter Joe Kelly came out after just 2 1/3 innings due to tightness and fatigue in the shoulder.

Tazawa’s season ended with a 2-7 record, 4.14 ERA and three saves in 61 appearances. Breslow pitching. Wieters hit a sacrifice fly to left fielder R.Castillo, C.Davis scored. “You know that you have to be nearly ideal “.