Benintendi, Porcello Lead Red Sox Past Orioles, 9-1
BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland each hit RBI triples in the fourth inning, Rick Porcello held the Orioles to one run over six innings, and the Boston Red Sox topped Baltimore 9-1 on Friday night.
Porcello (11-9) allowed four hits and a pair of walks while striking out two to hand the 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner his sixth victory in eight starts.
Benintendi finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Mookie Betts hit a solo home run and Chris Owings drove in two for the Red Sox, who have won three straight games and six of their last 10.
Boston entered 7 1/2 games back of AL East rival Tampa Bay for the second AL wild card.
Trey Mancini drove in the only run for Baltimore in its fifth straight loss.
The Orioles have dropped nine of 10, with seven losses coming to the New York Yankees. Baltimore was coming off a four-game sweep that gave the Yankees 16 straight wins against the O's and a decisive 17-2 season series victory.
Orioles starter Aaron Brooks (2-7) gave up five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Brooks has been charged with 28 earned runs in 28 1/3 innings since Baltimore claimed him off waivers from Oakland on July 6.
Rafael Devers drove an RBI single off the wall in left field on Brooks' seventh pitch of the game after Mookie Betts' leadoff double.
Mancini slapped an opposite field RBI double to right off Porcello to tie the game in the third.
Benintendi tripled into the triangle in center with one out in the fourth to plate J.D. Martinez after his leadoff double. Benintendi scored on Moreland's three-bagger to right two batters later.
Owings entered as a pinch hitter for second baseman Marco Hernandez with one out in the sixth and doubled in two before a Jackie Bradley Jr. sacrifice fly made it 6-1.
Martinez hit a sacrifice fly and Benintendi doubled home another run in the seventh. Betts' blast in the eighth capped the scoring.
HONORING NICK
The grandchildren of late Boston Globe baseball columnist Nick Cafardo threw out a ceremonial first pitch and announced "play ball" before Red Sox players ran onto the field. Cafardo died at age 62 after suffering an embolism last February while covering Red Sox spring training in Fort Myers, Fla.
CASH WOES
Andrew Cashner's solid start with Baltimore — he went 9-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 17 starts — earned him a midseason trade to contending Boston, but the former Orioles starter has since been demoted to the bullpen with a 1-4 record and 7.52 ERA for the Red Sox.
"Cash was wonderful for all of us here and (I) wish him the best after this series," Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. "I'd like to see him do well."
ROYAL TREAT
The Red Sox are offering free admission to fans under the age of 18 for Thursday afternoon's conclusion of their weather-suspended game against Kansas City, which will resume tied 4-4 in the 10th inning. An admission fee of $5 for adults will be donated to the Jimmy Fund.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: RF DJ Stewart went 0-for-4 in his return after not playing since June 5 at Texas, where he suffered a concussion after taking a ball off the head on a missed catch. "He's had obviously a tough couple months physically and just some bad breaks," Hyde said. "We're hoping he can stay healthy the rest of the year and get a lot of opportunity to play, prove what he can do."
Red Sox: LHP David Price (left wrist cyst) played catch on flat ground before the game. Manager Alex Cora hopes Price will be able to throw off a mound in the coming week. Price went on the 10-day injured list last Thursday after receiving a shot of cortisone to treat the cyst. . 1B Steve Pearce (low back strain) has yet to resume running. He last played May 31 against the Yankees.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (2-5, 4.84 ERA) had a career-high 10 strikeouts while allowing one hit over 7 1/3 scoreless frames against Boston on July 21.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5, 4.31) is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA in three starts since matching his career high for wins on July 27 versus the Yankees.
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