Bundy gets big lead, and O’s hang on
the division-leading Red Sox (8163) with 18 games left in the regular season. The Orioles also took a two-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the second AL wild-card spot.
The Orioles offense staked Bundy to a big early lead with a five-run second inning against Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz. The big blow was shortstop J.J. Hardy’s three-run homer over the Green Monster on a full-count fastball over the outer half of the plate. Hardy, who also walked twice, is hitting .306 (11-for-36) in 11 September games.
With three homers, the Orioles increased their major league-leading total to 231. Nolan Reimold followed Hardy with a two-run blast in the second, and Jonathan Schoop, who had three hits, opened the ninth with a homer over the Green Monster for an added cushion.
Bundy labored through a 33pitch second inning, uncharacteristically issuing one-out, basesloaded walks to No. 9 hitter Ryan Hanigan and leadoff man Dustin Pedroia. He was able to avoid further damage by striking out Xander Bogaerts and getting David Ortiz to ground out.
The 23-year-old then seemed to find his groove, despite his high pitch count. Over one stretch, he retired eight of nine batters before allowing a homer to Bogaerts to open the fifth. Bundy (9-5) left a man on and exited the game two outs shy of a quality start. Reliever Tommy Hunter came in and induced an inning-ending doubleplay ball from Hanigan.
Bundy issued four walks, and Nolan Reimold gets a high-five from Manny Machado after hitting a two-run homer in the second inning, his first blast since July 24. has walked 17 batters over his past five starts. He walked just six over his first five.
The Orioles stranded eight base runners, three in the eighth when Adam Jones struck out with the bases loaded. Jones was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. Britton shuts door: Closer Zach Britton recorded the final four outs, earning his fourth multipleinning save of the season. Three have come against the Red Sox.
Britton entered the game with one on and two outs in the eighth, and after allowing a single to left-handed hitting Jackie Bradley Jr., he got pinch hitter Sandy Leon to ground out.
Britton was perfect in the ninth and is 42-for-42 in save opportunities this season. Reimold launches homer: Reimold, who could get to play more with Steve Pearce out indefinitely with an arm injury, capped the Orioles’ five-run second inning with his two-run homer.
For Reimold, making just his second start this month, it was his first homer since July 24, when he hit a two-run walk-off homer to complete a three-game home sweep of the Cleveland Indians.
With two hits, Reimold also recorded his first multihit game since July 2. Lights-out lefty: Former Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz had been a valuable weapon against Ortiz over the years, but Donnie Hart, the Orioles’ current situational left-hander, had his big test against the Red Sox slugger.
With one on and one out in the seventh, Hart came in to face Ortiz in a critical point in the game.
Hart won a seven-pitch at-bat against Ortiz — throwing all mid-70s sliders — by inducing a flyout to left field.
Left-handers are now hitting .179 (5-for-28) against Hart, part of an Orioles bullpen that pitched 32⁄ scoreless innings.