Raise your hand if you pictured Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright (5-4) to be a bona fide All-Star contender at the beginning of the season.
Steven Wright making case for All-Star status
Previously an unfathomable premise, the chances of Wright landing on the American League squad are favorable, as the 31-year-old garnered his third complete game of the season on Monday, leading Boston to a crucial 7-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Memorial Day. Wright is now tied for the most complete games in MLB along with aces Chris Sale, Clayton Kershaw, and Johnny Cueto.
Sporting fashionable uniforms emblazoned with army-themed insignia, the Red Sox needed a strong outing from Wright to increased their division lead in the AL East to two games over the Orioles, and that is just what they received.
Becoming the first Boston starter to throw a complete game in three consecutive road starts since Roger Clemens in 1991-92, Wright lasted nine stellar innings, allowing just two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out seven batters on 122 pitches, the second-most thrown by any major league pitcher in a single start this season.
With the win, Wright's 2.45 ERA is now the fifth-best in the AL among starters, increasing his worthiness of an All-Star bid.
Red Sox offense returns to mashing ways
Wright's start was assisted by some furious offense from the Boston bats as well.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts increased his MLB-leading hitting streak to 23 games with a 2-for-4, two-RBI day, joining center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. -- who accounted for the go-ahead run with a solo home run in the sixth inning -- as the first pair of Red Sox teammates to accumulate hitting streaks of 23 or more games in the same season since 1922.
Designated hitter David Ortiz mashed his 14th home run and MLB-leading 47th RBI with a solo shot in the eighth inning, while third baseman Marco Hernandez, filling in for the resting Hanley Ramirez in the lineup, belted a three-run blast in the same frame for his first career homer in 10 MLB games.
Left fielder Blake Swihart also went 3-for-4 on the afternoon with a single, a double, and a triple -- his first three-hit outing since 2015. Right fielder Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 with two runs for the Red Sox.
Boston reached the scoreboard immediately against Baltimore starting pitcher Tyler Wilson (2-4), who was dealt the loss after allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks in 6.2 innings, while striking out four.
Boston attacks with long ball, Wright shines
Betts singled to right to lead off the ballgame before coming around to score on an RBI groundout by Bogaerts to give the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead.
Then, the tandem continued their electric ways in the top of the third inning, when Betts smashed a one out single and scored on an RBI double by Bogaerts, the league-leading 133rd double of the season for Boston.
Wright allowed just a single hit through the game's first four innings, though trouble struck him in the bottom of the fifth. Orioles right fielder Nolan Reimold struck a triple to lead off the inning, coming around to score on a subsequent RBI double by third baseman Ryan Flaherty.
Then, catcher Caleb Joseph singled to move Flaherty to third base, allowing him to score on a game-tying RBI sacrifice fly on the ensuing at-bat by center fielder Adam Jones.
The tie would not last long, however, as Bradley Jr. proceeded to lead off the top of the sixth inning by crushing an offering from Wilson 409 feet over the center field fence, giving the Red Sox a 3-2 advantage with his ninth long ball of the season.
Wright calmed down over the next two innings, retiring six straight batsmen and setting up the decisive eighth inning for the Red Sox.
Facing Baltimore reliever Ashur Tolliver, Ortiz smoked a 394-foot blast to right field to lead off the inning, increasing the Boston lead to 4-2. Then, first baseman Travis Shaw walked and Swihart singled with one down to summon Orioles relief pitcher Mychal Givens to the mound.
After retiring catcher Ryan Hanigan, Givens received a rude welcoming from Hernandez, who skied a 398-foot home run to right field, the first career blast for the 13th-ranked prospect in the Red Sox farm system.
Up next
The Orioles and Red Sox continue their four-game series tomorrow night at 7:10PM ET. Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez makes his season debut against Kevin Gausman (0-2, 3.24 ERA).