If there was ever a must-win series in April, this weekend would qualify for the Red Sox.
They’ve lost three consecutive series, and all four against division opponents this season. Already trailing the first-place Yankees by 5 1/2 games as the weekend began, the reeling Red Sox are in some urgent need of a positive result in Baltimore against the lowly Orioles.
Friday was a step, even if it wasn’t totally convincing. Backed by a dominant pitching effort led by Rich Hill, the Red Sox’ bats came to life early and that was enough even as they lived on the edge to hold on for a 3-1 victory over the O’s to start a three-game series at Camden Yards.
Drought is over
When Christian Arroyo hit a no-doubt homer to left in the second inning on Friday night, the sense of relief for the Red Sox was evident as he rounded the bases and took the customary laundry cart ride in the dugout, jumping out of it with more excitement than usual.
It had been 21 years — April 2001 to be exact v since the Red Sox last went on a home run drought they suffered over the last week. Rafael Devers’ shot in the third inning last Friday against the Rays was the Red Sox’ last round-tripper before Arroyo’s blast, ending a stretch of six consecutive games without a home run.
Arroyo’s two-run homer put the Red Sox on the board before Christian Vazquez drove in Jackie Bradley Jr. with a run-scoring hit got by right fielder Trey Mancini — which was officially ruled a single after the catcher ran into the second out on the bases. It was an encouraging sign of life for the bottom of the Red Sox order, but as has been the case through the first three weeks of the season, it was something of a tease.
Even facing Orioles starter Kyle Bradish, who was making his major league debut, it was the only offense they could muster. Devers hit a one-out double in the third before the Red Sox’ bats were silenced as 15 batters were retired in a row before Alex Verdugo reached on an error with two outs in the ninth. Xander Bogaerts hit a deep drive to left in the sixth that likely would have been a home run by Camden Yards’ old dimensions, but was caught on the warning track on Friday night.
The Red Sox recorded six hits, five of them coming in the first three innings as they couldn’t add on, which has been a theme early this season.
Hill dominates
The Red Sox’ inconsistency at the plate ultimately didn’t matter because Hill was almost unhittable on Friday night. The 42-year-old lefty made it look easy as he cruised through four perfect innings before allowing a leadoff single to Austin Hays in the fifth. And after a long conference with Alex Cora on the mound, Hill was taken out after making just 50 pitches.
The plan all along was to piggyback Hill with Tanner Houck, who returned from the restricted list, and Cora didn’t deviate from that. Houck wrestled with some command issues with three walks, including two in the seventh inning as he loaded the bases with two outs. But he bounced back with a huge strikeout of Rougned Odor as he set him down on three pitches, all sliders.
Roller coaster ninth
The Red Sox have proven that no lead of theirs is safe this season unless Garrett Whitlock is closing the game out. They offered another reminder of that Friday.
With Whitlock unavailable after starting on Thursday, the Red Sox took a 3-0 lead into the late innings and didn’t make anything easy about it. Jake Diekman, who blew a save earlier this week, bounced back for a second consecutive outing with a scoreless eighth. But the ninth proved to be a chore.
Cora called on Hansel Robles, the Red Sox’ best reliever not named Whitlock, for the save. But the righty gave up a leadoff homer to Ryan Mountcastle — ending his streak of 23 consecutive scoreless outings before allowing a single to Hays and then committing a balk to move him to second. But he bounced back with back-to-back outs to right.
With lefty Anthony Santander in the on-deck circle, Cora went to lefty Matt Strahm for the final out but he walked him to put two runners on and the winning run at the plate. But Strahm barrelled down to strike out Chris Owings to end it as the Red Sox avoided another meltdown.
