There is no doubt that the ideal start of the new season is to begin as the hottest team in baseball; the Baltimore Orioles are doing just that.
On Tuesday night, Baltimore defeated the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park by a final score of 9-5. Mike Wright picked up his first win of the season for Baltimore, while Clay Buchholz got the loss.
Mark Trumbo and J.J. Hardy both had terrific days, combining for five hits, seven RBIs, and three home runs. David Ortiz picked up a home run for the Red Sox, and finished the day with two hits and three RBIs.
With the victory, Baltimore moved to 7-0 and are the last undefeated team in baseball. The Orioles have also reached their best start to the season in franchise history. Baltimore has won three games against the Minnesota Twins, two games against the Tampa Bay Rays, and now two wins against the Red Sox.
Red Sox start strong, but Orioles capitalize late
After Buchholz got out of the first inning without any harm, the Red Sox' bats looked to continue their hot starts to games. Tonight, they did just that.
At the ballpark today, Fenway Park gave fans a David Ortiz gold chain necklace, with a "500" design on it signifying Ortiz' 500th home run that came in the 2015 season. It was certainly a neat promotion, and even Orioles' star Adam Jones was shown wearing the necklace in the dugout because he did not start.
As Ortiz came to bat in the first inning following Dustin Pedroia's single, Jones was proudly sporting the necklace to honor Ortiz. 15,000 lucky Red Sox fans were also wearing the necklace, and all of them gave Ortiz a huge roar when he came to the plate.
On a 1-2 count with two outs, the crowd got even louder. Ortiz launched a ball that had a lot of carry on it due to the conditions, and sailed into the right field bullpen. It was the slugger's third home run of the season, and the first of the season at Fenway Park. Many of those who received the necklace were proud to wear it at that moment.
Jones, however, had seen enough. As soon as the ball went over the right field wall, he ripped the necklace right off.
In the fourth inning, Baltimore would get those two runs back. Hardy would take advantage of the short Pesky Pole at Fenway Park. He ripped a 300-plus foot home run that curled around the foul pole. The play would be challenged to see if there was fan interference, but the ball just cleared over the top of the right field wall, plating both Hardy and Trumbo.
Boston would add a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning from a Mookie Betts RBI double who later scored on a wild pitch. Baltimore, though, would answer right back again in the sixth.
Mark Trumbo hit a monster home run that cleared the Green Monster, bringing the game back level at four all. It was Trumbo's second home run in as many games in Boston, and he has been a tough out all series long. Hardy would get another run across in the fifth inning for the Orioles after he hit a sacrifice fly on a fine diving catch by Betts, scoring Matt Wieters.
Clay Buchholz would finish his night after giving up five runs and five hits in five innings. Wright would surrender five hits and four runs in five innings.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Red Sox's day got worse. After a Manny Machado single and Trumbo doubled, Wieters would come through with a soft hit to center field which scored both, giving Baltimore a 7-4 lead.
As the inning continued, Hardy enjoyed the Pesky Pole even more. He curled yet another home run around it in the seventh, with the spot being was nearly identical to his first home run. Hardy ran around the bases with a smile, and his second home run of the night gave Baltimore a 9-4 lead.
David Ortiz would get his third RBI of the night in the bottom of the eighth inning with a double, but it would not be enough for a comeback trail.
Game Notes
Adam Jones was held out of the lineup again, but would be a defensive replacement in the eighth inning coming in for Trumbo. Manny Machado has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games dating back to last year. Baltimore will look to sweep another opponent sending Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound Wednesday night.
Steven Wright remains the only Red Sox starter to pitch in the seventh inning this season. Chris Young pinch hit for Travis Shaw for the fourth time this season to face a left-handed pitcher. Joe Kelly will look to avoid the sweep for the Red Sox tomorrow night.