Bundy Sharp On Mound As Orioles Beat Red Sox 2-0
BALTIMORE (AP) — If not for the image of Dustin Pedroia limping off the field with the aid of the Red Sox training staff, the talk in both clubhouses probably would have centered on the outstanding pitching performance of Dylan Bundy.
Bundy took a five-hitter into the eighth inning Friday night, yet the buzz after Baltimore's 2-0 victory centered on Pedroia's unexpected exit in the bottom half.
Pedroia, a four-time All-Star, left after hurting his knee. The injury occurred when Manny Machado slid into second on a force play and spiked Pedroia in the back of the left leg.
Boston manager John Farrell contended that Machado violated the rule preventing over-sliding the base.
"If the rule is in place to protect the middle infielder, then it didn't work tonight," he said. "It was a late slide."
Pedroia walked around the clubhouse with just a faint hint of a limp.
"I just got caught in a weird position. I don't know what hit the side of my knee ... it kind of pushed it in a little bit," Pedroia said. "I've turned double plays in the big leagues for 11 years. It's my job, and it's not the first time I've been hit and it won't be the last. It's baseball, man."
Machado sent Pedroia a text, explaining he meant the second baseman no harm.
"You don't want that to happen. I went and tried to grab him as soon as I can," Machado said. "The intention wasn't there. You can just see it."
It was the seventh win in nine games for the Orioles, whose major league-best 11-4 record includes a 9-3 mark in the AL East.
Bundy (3-1) struck out three, walked one and allowed six hits in seven-plus innings. The 2011 first-round draft pick lowered his ERA to 1.37 and extended his run of consecutive scoreless innings to 13.
"It was a tough one," Bundy said. "I got some double play balls that my defense helped me out on and got me out of some jams."
After Bundy yielded a leadoff single in the eighth, Donnie Hart walked pinch-hitter Chris Young before getting two straight outs. Mychal Givens then retired Orioles nemesis Mookie Betts on a popup with runners on the corners.
Brad Brach worked a perfect ninth for his third save — all in the past three nights. Brach is subbing for All-Star closer Zach Britton, who's on the disabled list.
Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings in his first career start at Camden Yards. The left-hander beat Baltimore on April 11, allowing just one run in six innings.
Seeking their sixth win in seven games, the Red Sox managed only two hits over the final six innings. Betts, who went 0 for 4, had at least one hit and one run scored in each of his previous 11 games at Camden Yards.
Bundy gave up a leadoff single in each of the first three innings, and each time he avoided damage with a double-play ball.
Baltimore took the lead in the third when Craig Gentry doubled and scored on a single by Adam Jones.
Machado made it 2-0 in the fifth, launching a 2-1 pitch for his third home run.
PRICE GETTING RIGHT
Boston LHP David Price threw 30 pitches in a side session at Camden Yards and said he felt no discomfort. Price, who was shut down in February with a sore left elbow, likely will throw another side session either Monday or Tuesday.
Farrell called Friday's outing "very encouraging."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Pablo Sandoval filled in at second after Pedroia left. ... Utility player Brock Holt was placed on the 10-day DL with vertigo. ... SS Xander Bogaerts wasn't in the starting lineup Friday after jamming his left thumb on a slide into second base Thursday. He entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning.
Orioles: Britton had an MRI on his left forearm and elbow. "Looked good. They did everything. Elbow looked really good," manager Buck Showalter said. ... OF Seth Smith (strained right hamstring) showed improvement Friday, so the team delayed a decision of whether to put him on the DL.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: Steven Wright (1-1, 8.36 ERA) starts Saturday night. He yielded eight runs in 1 1/3 innings against Baltimore last week.
Orioles: LHP Jayson Aquino gets his first major league start after pitching in three games as a reliever last season.
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