Wojciechowski Starts 1-Hitter As Orioles Blank Red Sox 5-0
BALTIMORE (AP) — Asher Wojciechowski took an unlikely no-hitter into the seventh inning, Trey Mancini homered twice off Andrew Cashner and the Baltimore Orioles beat Boston 5-0 Sunday to win their first series from the Red Sox in 11 tries since 2017.
Making his 15th career start, Wojciechowski came in with a 6.49 career ERA and was facing the highest-scoring team in the majors. The 30-year-old responded with the best outing of his life, allowing one hit over 7 1/3 innings and finishing with a career-high 10 strikeouts.
Rafael Devers led off the seventh with a double off the right-field wall to break up Wojciechowski's bid, but the right-hander bounced back to get three successive outs. Prior to the seventh, the only baserunner against him was Brock Holt, who was hit by a pitch in the third and drew a walk in the sixth.
Although Wojciechowski had never gone more than six innings in his 14 previous major league starts, he was sent out for the eighth inning. He retired the first batter, issued a walk and was pulled after his 105th pitch.
Paul Fry got the final two outs in the eighth and Mychal Givens worked the ninth to complete the one-hitter and end Boston's run of 81 games without being blanked. It was also the first time in 11 games the Red Sox failed to hit a home run.
After pitching previously for eight different organizations and spending all of last season in the minor leagues, Wojciechowski (1-3) earned his first victory since Aug. 8, 2017, when he beat San Diego as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
Many in the crowd of 18,173 — even many of the Boston fans — vigorously applauded his performance as he walked toward the dugout.
The last-place Orioles took two of three from the Red Sox, who were 8-0-2 in series against Baltimore since September 2017. Boston lost only one of its previous 11 series at Camden Yards, dating back to May 2016.
Facing his former team just eight days after being traded to Boston, Cashner (9-5) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings to fall to 0-2 with the Red Sox. Mancini hit a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run drive in the third.
Jonathan Villar added a solo shot off Heath Hembree in the eighth.
Now 5-5 since the All-Star break, the defending World Series champions can only hope to generate momentum over the next couple of weeks. Boston's next 14 games are against the two teams ahead of them in the AL East, the Yankees and Tampa Bay.
FAREWELL TO KEON
The Orioles designated OF Keon Broxton for assignment after he batted .204 in 37 games since being obtained in a May 22 trade with the Mets. In need of a reliever to fill out a depleted bullpen, Baltimore called up Brandon Kline and removed Broxton from the 25-man roster. "I hate to see Keon go," manager Brandon Hyde said. "He's such a weapon defensively and on the bases. I'm sure he'll get picked up by somebody."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: INF Michael Chavis was not in the starting lineup after leaving with back spasms on Saturday night. "Doing all right," Chavis said before the game.
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (knee) will come off the IL on Tuesday to face Arizona on Tuesday night. He missed one start. ... C Pedro Severino played for the first time in a week after battling an illness.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: The Red Sox get to cool off under a dome on Monday night when LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (11-4, 4.34 ERA) helps open a three-game series against Rays.
Orioles: A reunion with longtime OF Adam Jones is on tap when Baltimore and RHP Aaron Brooks (2-3, 4.69) take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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