Successful return
Ace Sale wins in first appearance since 2019 as Red Sox pound Orioles
Sale pitches five strong innings in first start in two years as Sox beat O’s.
BOSTON — Chris Sale wanted to take it all in. He has a new outlook on his big league career.
Bolstered by Sale’s first major league appearance in two years, the Boston Red Sox hit five homers while pounding Baltimore 16-2 on Saturday, handing the Orioles their 10th straight loss.
“When I stepped out of the dugout, I knew there was going to be something, I wasn’t expecting all that,” Sale said. “I was just trying to soak in moments. This isn’t going to last forever.”
Sale, 32, completed his return from Tommy John surgery by pitching five innings, giving up two runs on consecutive homers by Austin Hays and Trey Mancini in the third. Relying mostly on his sharp slider, the lanky lefthander struck out eight and walked none.
“Today was a special day for me and a lot of other people,” he said. “Like I said, this game was ripped out of my hands. I had a hole in my chest for two years. I’ll be completely honest, I took days for granted . ... Through all of this
I’ve had a huge perspective change. I can tell you one thing: I’m not wasting another day of my big league career.”
Rafael Devers got Boston off to a fast start with a three-run homer in the first against Jorge López (3-13). J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer and Bobby Dalbec added a solo shot during a seven-run fifth inning — right after Sale left to a loud ovation.
Dalbec hit his second solo homer an inning later, and Hunter Renfroe connected in the eighth.
When Sale (1-0) finished the fifth, he was greeted with a handshake, then a hug from manager Alex Cora.
“It was a good feeling, man” Cora said. “I haven’t had that feeling in a while. I know ‘19 was a grind for him, spring training through the season, it was really hard . ... I will never forget that moment when we got back to the clubhouse (today).”
Sale last pitched in the majors when he started on Aug. 13, 2019. The seven-time All-Star had surgery on his 31st birthday — March 30, 2020 — and missed last year’s pandemic-shortened season.
Sale’s return created an electric atmosphere on a steamy afternoon. Many of the fans were on their feet when Hays foultipped Sale’s 94.2 mph first pitch.
“He was amazing. He was great,” Cora said. “Today was a special day for this organization, what he went through, him grinding through the whole process and not feeling good about himself because he wasn’t able to contribute for the first time in his career.”
Devers finished with four RBIs. Alex Verdugo hit four singles for Boston, and Kiké Hernández scored four times.