J.D. Martinez Powers Red Sox To Win Over Baltimore
BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit two vastly different drives for his first multihomer game with Boston, powering Eduardo Rodriguez and the Red Sox to a 5-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
Martinez drove in three runs, and Andrew Benintendi had a two-run homer among his three hits as the Red Sox won three of four in the series to improve to 6-1 against Baltimore this season.
Signed to a $110 million, five-year deal as a free agent in February, the 30-year-old Martinez sliced his first homer an estimated 324 feet around the Pesky Pole in right field. He hammered his second to the deepest part of Fenway Park — projected at 443 feet over the center-field triangle for his 15th of the season.
The Orioles got 13 hits but lost for the 15th time in 16 road games and dropped to a major league-worst 4-19 away from Camden Yards. Adam Jones had three of Baltimore's 12 singles.
Rodriguez (4-1) scattered nine hits, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter in 5 2/3 innings.
Leading 1-0 in the fifth, the Red Sox chased David Hess (1-1) and took charge with four runs. Benintendi hit his shot into the Orioles' bullpen after Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled leading off.
Mitch Moreland doubled before Martinez belted his second homer of the day. His first came in the second inning.
Hess gave up five runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 innings in his second major league start.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Chris Davis was out of the lineup because he's been struggling against left-handers, batting only .139 (5 for 36).
Red Sox: Manager Alex Cora gave DH-1B Hanley Ramirez, in a 5-for-26 slump with no extra-base hits in his last six games, the day off "to work on a few things and keep him off his feet." . Cora did the same for shortstop Xander Bogaerts, saying: "I think he only had like one off day since coming back from the DL." Bogaerts was sidelined April 9-27 with an injured left ankle. . 2B Dustin Pedroia (recovering from left knee surgery in the offseason) was slated to be the DH in a rehab game at Triple-A Pawtucket.
LIKE AN INFIELDER
Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski played a foul ball that sailed into his box behind home plate on the bounce, picking it up from a tabletop in front of him. Next to him was former Red Sox right fielder Dwight Evans, who won eight Gold Gloves in his career.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Andrew Cashner (1-5, 4.83 ERA) starts Monday in the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.
Red Sox: After an off day, LHP Chris Sale (4-1, 2.29) pitches Tuesday at Tampa Bay. Sale has allowed three or fewer runs in all 10 of his starts.
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