Eovaldi, Sox snap four-game skid
One game behind Yankees for top Wild Card spot
After suffering possibly their worst, if not most untimely, loss of the season Tuesday in Baltimore, Wednesday was as close to a must-win as the Red Sox could get. They couldn’t afford another loss to the worst team in baseball in their fight for a wild-card spot.
With their best pitcher on the mound, there was no letdown.
Last Friday’s struggle against the Yankees was an exception to Nathan Eovaldi’s breakthrough 2021 season. On Wednesday night at Camden Yards, the All-Star did what the Red Sox have come to expect in his final regular-season start of the year, as he fired six shutout innings to lead them to a desperately-needed 6-0 victory over the Orioles, snapping their four-game losing streak.
With four games left, the Red Sox pulled to within a game of the Yankees for the top wild-card spot after their loss to the Blue Jays, who stayed one game back of Boston. The Mariners, a half-game back of the Sox entering Wednesday, were playing late out West.
“This is what we play for, to be in these situations,” said J.D. Martinez, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. “If they told us at the beginning of spring training we’d be in this situation, I think everybody would be excited and be looking forward to the challenge.”
The Red Sox wouldn’t be where they are, fighting in the final week for a wildcard berth, without Eovaldi, and Wednesday was yet another reminder of that. After a rare dismal start last Friday at home against the Yankees, when he didn’t finish the third inning of a loss, Eovaldi returned to his dominant form Wednesday in Baltimore. He allowed four hits and struck out seven, as he got back to having pinpoint control of his fastball to dial up the Orioles.
It was exactly what the Red Sox needed, delivered by the man who’s come through for them time and time again this season. If they can survive through Sunday, he’ll have the chance to do it again.
“We’ve been through this path before,” manager Alex Cora said. “I know what he can do in those situations. We lived it, right? It doesn’t seem like the moment gets too big on him. Last week was last week. The good ones, they struggle sometimes. Hopefully it’s his last bad one and he can continue. Whenever he pitches he’ll be ready to go and we expect him to dominate.”
Eovaldi didn’t have a lot of room for error Wednesday night. A night after Chris Sale let a good performance slip away from him in the sixth, leading to a bad loss, Eovaldi had to manage similar circumstances.
The Red Sox were producing plenty of contact against Orioles starter Zac Lowther, who they had bashed in two previous meetings this season.
But it was frustratingly not resulting in runs, as they wasted chances in the third and fifth with ill-timed double-play balls. But Eovaldi wasn’t fazed with a one-run lead.
The Sox finally created breathing room in the sixth thanks to an error by Orioles third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez and Martinez’s ensuing two-run double. But Eovaldi hit danger in the same spot Sale did. Cedric Mullins’ leadoff double and Ryan Mountcastle’s ensuing walk threatened to ruin the Sox’ night again, but Eovaldi hunkered down to retire the next three hitters, ending his outing on a high note.
“He’s arguably our ace, you know?” Martinez said. “You pick between him and Chris. He’s been a bulldog for us all year. Obviously he had a tough one for us last outing. But this one, for him to come back and bounce back with these guys, it’s a plus. We’re going to need him.”
The Red Sox’ bullpen locked it down as Ryan Brasier, Hansel Robles and Matt Barnes combined for three shutout innings. Alex Verdugo’s two-run single in the eighth and Hunter Renfroe’s solo blast in the ninth for his 30th home run of the season provided some more insurance.
Eovaldi’s terrific regular season is likely over — with a small possibility he could be needed on short rest Sunday if the Red Sox need to win — and the veteran righty is satisfied after making all 32 starts. But he obviously hopes that’s not it for him in 2021. He’s lined up to start in a potential Game 163 Monday or the wild-card game Tuesday, a prospect he’s ready for.
“Extremely exciting,” Eovaldi said. “I love trying to be the stopper. If the team needs me in a big moment, I want to be that guy to provide for them and be able to help the team out as much as I can. Regardless of who it is, obviously I’ll be doing my homework and be ready for it if I get that opportunity.”