Lough HR In 10th, Orioles Top Red Sox 5-4 To End 5-Game Skid
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Minutes after watching a thrilling baseball game that featured one surprising play after another, thousands of fans at Camden Yards had no idea what to expect after emerging from the safety of the ballpark.
"Oh, calm. Good," Ali Howard said at the exit, around 15 minutes after the Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in 10 innings Saturday night to end a five-game losing streak.
A crowd of 36,757 showed up for this matchup of AL East foes. Outside the stadium, thousands gathered to protest the death of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody after suffering an unexplained spinal injury.
Several helicopters circled Camden Yards as some of the protesters threw cans and plastic bottles in the direction of police officers.
In the middle of the ninth inning, after the Red Sox extended a game the Orioles seemingly had in hand, the public address announcer told the fans that the mayor and city officials requested no one leave the ballpark because of "ongoing public safety issues."
By the bottom of the 10th, the restriction on departing the stadium had been lifted. But fans were warned against traveling in certain parts of the city.
"We took our sweet time coming out," Howard said. "This is by far the most insane thing I've ever been through."
As a slight rain began to fall, Baltimore blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning. The Orioles then fell behind in the 10th before rallying in the bottom half.
It was a tough loss for the Red Sox, who had no idea how they were going to weave through the demonstrators back to the team hotel.
"I'm sure there's a route that we will take that will be different from what we've done in the past, which would go right through where the protest is taking place currently," manager John Farrell said. "I don't know what route that's going to be right now."
Meanwhile, Courtney Mish of Baltimore was poised to walk home from the stadium with a few of her friends. They didn't get to their seats until the second inning because they watched the demonstration from home.
"I'm not that concerned," Mish said.
What about that announcement instructing the fans to stay in the ballpark?
"Fine," Mish said. "We wanted to see the end of the game, anyway."
Baltimore trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the 10th when Adam Jones got a triple off Koji Uehara (1-1) on a liner that right fielder Allen Craig lost in the lights. After Chris Davis followed with a sacrifice fly, David Lough stepped to the plate.
Lough, who entered as a pinch runner in the eighth, smacked a 3-2 pitch to right. As the ball soared toward its destination over the wall, Lough thrust his left arm into the air to celebrate the first game-ending home run of his career.
That made up for the ninth inning, when Baltimore closer Zach Britton failed to secure a victory for Wei-Yin Chen. After Boston loaded the bases with one out, Pablo Sandoval hit a sharp grounder to third that Manny Machado picked up before tagging the base. His throw to first base went awry, allowing the tying run to score.
Xander Bogaerts homered in the top of the 10th off Brad Brach before Brian Matusz (1-2) finished.
Jimmy Paredes had four hits and a homer for the Orioles, whose losing streak was their longest since September 2013. Paredes' long ball off Justin Masterson put Baltimore up 3-2 in the fifth.
Chen gave up two runs, four hits and a walk over eight innings. The left-hander retired the final 12 batters he faced after Hanley Ramirez got thrown out at the plate to end the fourth.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter missed the start of the game to attend his father-in-law's funeral in Tennessee. Bench coach John Russell took over the team, but Showalter assumed his familiar spot in the dugout in the third inning.
"(Russell) was telling me they were listening to what was going on in the clubhouse before the game," Showalter said. "These guys are aware of what's going on. I'm sure we'll have people talk about spending the night here. There are so many things that can take your attention away from a baseball game, rightfully so. As important as we think this is, there are some things that are more important."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: OF Shane Victorino was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday, with a strained right hamstring. RHP Matt Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Orioles: Russell said shortstop J.J. Hardy (shoulder) has been taking batting practice and "is making very good progress" in his effort to return.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Wade Miley (1-1, 6.08 ERA) makes his fourth start with Boston on Sunday in the series finale.
Orioles: Bud Norris (0-2, 17.42 ERA) takes another shot at his first win of the season.
(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)