The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Sox drop opening series to Orioles
ORIOLES 7 RED SOX 4
BOSTON — Rio Ruiz and Anthony Santander hit two-run home runs to help the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 7-4 Sunday.
Jose Iglesias added four hits for the Orioles, who took the final two games of the season-opening series.
Baltimore’s Wade LeBlanc (1-0) gave up two home runs but settled down over 5 2⁄3 innings, allowing four runs and four hits while striking out four. Cole Sulser held the Red Sox scoreless over the final two innings to get the save.
LeBlanc said the lift provided by the offense allowed him to be more aggressive in the zone.
“Series wins are huge. This was a big confidence game,” he said.
The Orioles’ starters issued no walks in the final two games of the series (11 innings), while striking out 10. Manager Brandon Hyde said he hopes trends like that carry over for his pitching staff.
“Bullpen guys coming and working ahead in the count and throwing strikes is something we struggled with last year,” Hyde said. “Hopefully we can continue to do that the rest of the year.”
Boston starter Ryan Weber (0-1) lasted only 3 2⁄3innings, walking three and allowing six runs and six hits, including a pair of home runs.
He said he let first-game jitters get the best of him, adding that he had trouble commanding his fastball. He also had two ground ball outs.
“Falling behind and leaving balls over the plate is not a good recipe,” Weber said.
LeBlanc got through the first five innings relatively unscathed, allowing only four hits and the two home runs. He was sitting on a 6-2 lead in the sixth before giving up a leadoff, infield single to Jackie Bradley Jr. He got the next two hitters out before a double by Rafael Devers put runners at second and third.
LeBlanc was pulled in favor of Miguel Castro, and Xander Bogaerts delivered a two-run single cut the lead to 6-4.
That was as close as the Red Sox got.
Castro got the first out of the inning and reliever Tanner Scott got the last two to end Boston’s rally.
Ruiz put the Orioles up 2-0 in the first inning, connecting on a first-pitch offering from Weber and driving it over the right field wall.
Christian Vazquez got the Red Sox on the scoreboard with a solo homer in the second. But Baltimore added four runs over the next two innings, capped by Santander’s drive into the bullpen in the fourth.
In the bottom half of the inning, Santander showed off his defensive skills when he jumped against the right field wall and snared Bogaerts’ would-be home run just inside of the foul pole.