By Zachary McMahon –
The Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles in their first division series of the young season at their home opener at Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon. The Sox are coming off a 2-1 series win against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, while the Orioles have lost two straight games at the end of their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Both teams put their aces on the mound as the starters as the Red Sox had Brayan Bello, while the Orioles put on Corbin Burnes. Bello made his third start, as his last start resulted in a no-decision on April 2 against the Oakland Athletics.
Burnes also made his third start as an Oriole, so far he had an 1-0 record with a 2.31 ERA, 10 hits, 14 strikeouts and no walks this season. This was Burnes’S first start ever at Fenway Park, as it was his 25th ballpark that he’s started in the major leagues.
Before the game, the Red Sox sent down Bobby Dalbec to Worcester and called up Romy Gonzalez, who would go on to make his Red Sox debut as a pinch hitter, and took over for David Hamliton in the eighth inning.
Things started great in the first inning for the BoSox as Tyler O’Neil hit his sixth homer of the season, and his first over the green monster as a Red Sox player. However, after Triston Casas hit a single in the first, the Red Sox would be no-hit throughout the rest of the game, as their only two hits were in that inning.
At the plate for the Orioles, left fielder Colton Cowser had a great day as he batted in four runs via a RBI single in the second that tied the game up and a 2-run double that made the O’s take the lead, followed by an impressive slide avoiding the tag from Enmanuel Valdez. Then in the eighth, he hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Ryan O’Hearn.
The Orioles scored four more runs in the last three innings which include RBI singles for Adley Rutchman, Anthony Santander, and Cedric Mullins, as they would go on to win 7-1.
Burnes pitched seven innings while walking two batters and striking out six in another impressive performance for the Orioles ace. Meanwhile, Bello took the loss after being taken out in the sixth inning in favor of Joely Rodriguez. Bello allowed four hits, three runs (one earned), two walks, and struck out three. Rodriguez pitched one inning before being taken out by Josh Winckowski who pitched the rest of the game while striking out four batters.
The Red Sox and the Orioles will play again tomorrow night at 7 p.m., with Kutter Crawford starting for the Sox and Cole Irvin going on the mound for the O’s.