Sox win as feud with O’s continues
Boston — Hours after Major League Baseball held a conference call to tell the Red Sox and Orioles to stop their festering feud, Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman was ejected in the second inning for hitting a batter and Boston went on to win 4-2 Wednesday night.
Orioles center fielder Adam Jones was later tossed, too, soon after being upset by a called strike. On Monday night, the All-Star was the target of racial slurs at Fenway Park, prompting apologies from the Red Sox, the mayor of Boston and the governor of Massachusetts.
Gausman was tossed by plate umpire Sam Holbrook after what appeared to be a curveball hit Xander Bogaerts. Catcher Caleb Joseph slammed his mask on the plate and manager Buck Showalter bolted from the dugout to argue. Gausman looked puzzled, at first, and then hollered.
Before the game, the teams talked to MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre, with Red Sox manager John Farrell saying the message was "Enough is enough" after Boston pitchers recently threw at Orioles star Manny Machado. On April 21, Machado made a late slide that injured Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
Josh Rutledge drove in a pair of runs for Boston. He entered the game in the first inning after starting third baseman Marco Hernandez left with a strained left shoulder.
Drew Pomeranz (3-1) gave up two runs on five hits, his fourth time in five starts he's allowed two or fewer runs. Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth, fanning Machado to end it for his 10th save.
Gausman (1-3) took the loss. Reliever Richard Bleier allowed Bogaerts to score on Rutledge's single in the second.
Jones was angered over a called second strike, then was ejected after he struck out swinging. He flipped his bat and helmet toward Holbrook as he walked away.
A day after Machado went on an expletive-filled tirade after Chris Sale's fastball sailed behind him, he went a quiet 0 for 5.
Boston made it 4-0 against Bleier in the fourth when Chris Young had an RBI double, Rutledge a run-scoring grounder and Pedroia a sacrifice fly.
The Orioles got to Pomeranz for two runs in the sixth. Trey Mancini had a sacrifice fly and J.J. Hardy an RBI single.
Trainer's room
Red Sox: Farrell said knuckleballer Steven Wright, who was put on the disabled list Monday with a sprained left knee, is "contemplating the options that are available to him and "surgery's not ruled out." . Farrell also said the team hopes to get utility infielder Brock Holt (vertigo) out on another rehab soon.