Red Sox 0-3 at Fenway after Orioles sweep

BOSTON — The early returns certainly look good for the Baltimore Orioles.

For the Boston Red Sox, it looks a lot like last season.

Boston fell to its first 0-3 start at Fenway Park since 1948 and the second ever for the Red Sox as Trey Mancini and Austin Hays hit two-run doubles during a seven-run third inning that carried the Orioles over Boston 11-3 on Sunday.

Cedric Mullins went 5 for 5 with three doubles and walk for the Orioles, collecting four of hits in the initial four innings. Maikel Franco added a first-inning,

two-run double, helping Baltimore to its first threegame sweep at Fenway since Aug. 25-27, 2017.

“I think the synergy we have is really strong,” Mullins said. “Guys have been playing with each other for a few years now.“

In last year’s pandemic shortened season, the Orioles finished fourth in the AL East with a 25-35 record, coming off 108 losses in 2019 and a club-record high 115 the previous year.

Boston is coming off a 24-36 record last year, that was its worst winning percentage since 1965.

“We got beat in every aspect of the game,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We’re off to a rough start.”

The Red Sox lost their first four home games in 1948, rebounded to tie Cleveland at 96-58 after the scheduled 154-game regular season and lost a tiebreaker playoff 8-3 at Fenway.

Making just his third major league appearance, Baltimore left-hander Bruce Zimmerman (1-0) gave up three runs and four hits in six innings with five strikeouts and one walk for his first MLB victory.

“It’s a long season, but, if anything, it gives a great confidence booster for this team,” Zimmerman said. “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people this season.”

The Orioles held the Red Sox to five total runs in the series.

“You’ve got to pitch in this league and we pitched these three games,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We got really good starts from three guys and our bullpen did a good job coming in and throwing strikes.”

J.D. Martinez had a solo homer and RBI double for the Red Sox.

Boston starter Garrett Richards (0-1) was chased with no outs and after loading the bases in the third. He was charged with six runs and seven hits.

“It’s three games into the season, kind of an early panic button,” Richards said. “If we invested our entire take on three games, I don’t think anybody would be able to predict a World Series winner.”

Richards loaded the bases with two walks and a single before Josh Taylor relieved. Freddy Galvis drew a four-pitch walk, and Hays doubled to left.

Three batters later, Mancini doubled to center. Taylor threw a run-scoring wild pitch and gave up Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI single.

TERRIBLE LINE

Taylor faced eight batters, getting two outs — both strikeouts — and gave up five hits and four runs.

NICE BEGINNING

Boston right-hander Garrett Whitlock pitched 31⁄3 scoreless innings in his major league debut, striking out five.

NICE THOUGHT

Cora said before the game that Mancini should be the Comeback Player of the Year.

“He should be the Comeback Player of the Year, regardless,” Cora said. “He could hit .330 or .180, and he’s the Comeback Player of the Year already. I know there are other guys coming back from injury, but to comeback from that is amazing.”

Mancini missed the 2020 season due to Stage 3 colon cancer, completed six months of chemotherapy and returned in spring training.