Kyle Schwarber scores a pair of runs in Boston debut and Red Sox top Orioles.
Schwarber scores twice in debut as new Boston mates hit three homers
Kyle Schwarber scored twice in his debut for Boston and his new teammates delivered three home runs to lift the Red Sox over the slumping Baltimore Orioles 8-1 Friday night.
Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec and Hunter Renfroe each homered for the Red Sox, who are trying to snap out of a funk that knocked them five games back in the AL East.
Nick Pivetta (9-5) struck out eight in six innings, and the Red Sox offense rebounded after the club lost two of three against division leader Tampa Bay. Garrett Richards pitched the final three innings and was credited with his first save since 2013.
Richie Martin homered for Baltimore, which lost its ninth straight.
The Red Sox picked up Schwarber in a trade with Washington the night before the deadline but had to wait two weeks before a right hamstring strain was healed enough for him to play for the first time since July 2. He was batting .253 with 25 home runs for the Nationals.
Schwarber was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-a Worcester on Thursday night, but the game was rained out. The Red Sox activated him anyway for Friday, hoping his bat could help lift the club from a 3-11 slide.
Boston manager Alex Cora has been saying since the Red Sox made the trade that they liked Schwarber’s patience at the plate.
Fans livened up when Schwarber stepped to the plate for his first at-bat in the second inning after Renfroe led off with a single. Spenser Watkins walked him on six pitches and Schwarber scored on Dalbec’s two-run double during a four-run rally. Schwarber walked again in the third, scoring on Jarren Duran’s double to right.