Benintendi Hits 2 HRs To Help Red Sox Beat Orioles 7-3
BALTIMORE (AP) — Andrew Benintendi hit two home runs, Chris Sale pitched six innings to earn his sixth straight win and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-3 Sunday for a split of the four-game series between AL East rivals.
Boston broke a sixth-inning tie by scoring two unearned runs on a throwing error by catcher Francisco Pena, and Benintendi's second homer made it 6-3 in the seventh.
Benintendi also hit a solo shot in the third and singled in a run in the ninth. It was the first career multihomer game for the rookie, who entered in a 1-for-21 skid.
Sale (7-2) struck out nine to increase his major-league leading total to 119. The left-hander is 6-0 in his last seven starts, a streak that began with a win over Baltimore on May 2.
Chris Tillman (1-3) kept the Orioles even until the sixth. After a single and two walks loaded the bases with one out, Sandy Leon struck out. With Deven Marrero at the plate, Tillman bounced an 0-2 pitch that glanced off Pena's shoulder and into his glove.
As Mitch Moreland edged down the line, Pena launched a throw that sailed wide of third base, allowing Moreland and Jackie Bradley Jr. to score.
Jonathan Schoop had three hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who won the first two games of the series before dropping the last two.
Boston jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After an infield hit and two walks loaded the bases, Bradley lined a two-run single to right.
Sale yielded three runs and three hits in the bottom half. Chris Davis drove in two runs with an opposite-field single to left and scored on a double by Schoop.
Benintendi tied it with his sixth home run, the first in 81 at-bats since May 7.
500 MILESTONE
Boston leadoff batter Mookie Betts got his 500th career hit with a swinging bunt to open the game. He is the seventh Red Sox player in the last 100 years to reach the 500-mark before his 25th birthday.
GRAND FINALE
Veteran broadcaster Fred Manfra called his final game, bringing an end to a 25-year run with the Orioles. A native of East Baltimore, Manfra grew up listening to Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Thompson and joined the Orioles radio team in 1993.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP Brian Johnson left his Triple A start on Saturday night with a cramp in his right hamstring. He's an option to fill the void in the rotation left by Eduardo Rodriguez being placed on the disabled list.
Orioles: C Welington Castillo (testicular injury) played catch in the outfield. He's eligible to come off the DL on June 10, but not before a rehabilitation assignment. "You don't want to test it out in a big league game," manager Buck Showalter said.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: After a day off, Boston sends Drew Pomeranz (5-3, 4.24 ERA) to the mound in the opener of a three-game series at Yankees Stadium on Tuesday.
Orioles: Following a day off Monday, the Orioles and Kevin Gausman (3-4, 5.92) open a two-game interleague series against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
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