The Red Sox finished their first road trip of the season the way they started: with a thrilling victory that showcased some of their most promising young talents.
Thursday’s 8-4 triumph over the Orioles gave Boston its first series win and ended the lengthy trip to Mexico (preseason exhibition games), Texas, and Baltimore on a high note.
The Boston bats tallied 11 hits to Baltimore’s eight, and brought runners home with consistency, scoring in the first, second, fourth, seventh, and ninth innings.
Led by Alex Bregman, who went 3 for 5 with the homer, two doubles, two runs, three batted in, and two strikeouts, the Red Sox never trailed in the contest. His homer, the first hit of the contest and his first round-tripper of the season, was still the farthest knock by game’s end, traveling 397 feet at 103.8 mph. It would’ve been a home run in all 30 ballparks.
Bregman’s first-inning blast was the first of three two-run homers for the Red Sox. Kristian Campbell followed suit in the top of the second, and Triston Casas did the same in the seventh. It was Campbell’s second homer of the season, and No. 1 for Casas.
“It was great, I thought we did a good job offensively today, squaring the ball up, using the whole field,” Bregman told NESN’s Jahmai Webster. “KC, big homer, Casas, huge homer to give us some big insurance there, and pitchers did a great job as well. Now it’s time to go to Boston, and I can’t wait.”
Campbell’s second home run of the season increased Boston’s lead to 4-1 in the top of the second. One day after agreeing to an eight-year extension and one week after his major league debut, Campbell became the first player in franchise history to collect at least 10 hits, six extra-base hits, and four walks in his first seven career games.
One day after manager Alex Cora told Casas he wanted to see him be more aggressive at the plate, the first baseman answered the call. He went 2 for 5 with a run, two RBI, and two strikeouts. His homer officially made Thursday the club’s highest-scoring game of this young season.
“We will hit, it’s just a matter of time,” Cora told reporters postgame. “When you see Raffy (Devers) getting locked in, Alex hit the ball in the air to the pull-side, KC, and then Casas, it’s a tough group.”
“We hit some balls hard,” Cora added. “We struck out a lot, too.”
Both teams struck out 11 times. The Red Sox also benefited from timely contributions from Devers, who’s slowly turning a corner after a historically frigid start to the season. Walking in the first and singling in the ninth, he scored the first and last Red Sox runs of the game, driven in by Bregman on both occasions. Jarren Duran and Trevor Story were the only hitless Red Sox, but Duran’s fourth-inning sacrifice fly brought in the team’s fifth run.
After several quiet nights for the Boston bats, Thursday was their second consecutive double-digit hits performance.
“You know what, I was watching the Rangers and they threw two shutouts in Cincinnati, so let’s give them credit for what they did against us,” Cora said. “Here, little by little, the at-bats were better.”
It was a mixed-bag day for both starting pitchers. Tanner Houck pitched four innings and faced one batter in the fifth – hitting Mullins – before Cora made his first change. The Red Sox right-hander gave up three earned runs on five hits, two walks, struck out six, and hit a batter in his second start of the season. He had a difficult time putting the Orioles away consistently, giving up a leadoff homer to Cedric Mullins in the bottom of the first, and RBI singles to Jordan Westburg and Ramón Urías in the second and fourth, respectively
Houck told reporters he was “still working through a few kinks from spring training,” but said he felt start No. 2 was a “good step in the right direction.” Zack Kelly, Justin Wilson, Justin Slaten followed with an inning apiece, and Garrett Whitlock took the last two innings.
Charlie Morton outlasted Houck and struck out 10 batters, but was also hit harder. Tagged for five earned runs on six hits and two walks, he’s now 0-2 on the season.
“Charlie’s been tough for us,” Cora said. “He’s been really good against us.”
Cora also reminded reporters that Bregman’s spring training efforts helped set the stage for Thursday’s victory.
“Alex faced (Morton) in Sarasota this year. He went on that trip with the kids,” the Sox skipper said, referring to the prospect-heavy group that made the trip to the Orioles’ complex for an away game. “He got a first-pitch fastball, too, in that one. … So I guess that two-hour drive helped him out.”
Campbell, Casas, and Story also turned a pair of double plays. The Sox finished last season with 86 double plays turned; they currently lead the majors with 11, and no other American League team has more than seven (Cleveland). Collectively, the glovework is much improved from last year, when Boston led the AL with 115 errors – two short of the Marlins for the overall lead – and topped the majors in fielding errors.
Baltimore had Boston’s number last season, going 8-5 in the season series and sweeping the Sox at Fenway Park in their home opener. This year, the Red Sox were the Orioles’ home opener series, and they turned the tables. Thus concludes the first Red Sox road trip (3-4) of the season.
