Bats back Buchholz as Red Sox sink O's
BOSTON -- Clay Buchholz continued his strong run by firing seven strong innings and leading the Red Sox to a 5-1 victory over the Orioles on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
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The win came with some sting for Boston, as Hanley Ramirez suffered a left hand contusion and Dustin Pedroia exited with a right hamstring injury.
"It's always good to win, but when you lose two guys, it's tough," said Buchholz. "Those are two guys that are in the middle of our lineup. Hopefully it's just a little scare and nothing is really bad wrong with them and we'll get them back out there and get them on the field."
Video: BAL@BOS: Hanley is hit by batted ball, exits the game
David Ortiz clubbed a two-run homer, No. 11 on the season. Ramirez and Xander Bogaerts had two hits each for the Red Sox.
Bud Norris gave up seven hits and five unearned runs over 5 2/3 innings while taking the loss for Baltimore.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Pedroia, Ortiz key rally: After the Orioles made two errors to open the bottom of the sixth, the Red Sox broke through with five unearned runs to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Pedroia's two-run single snapped a 1-1 tie. Ortiz's two-run smash to center gave the Red Sox a comfortable lead at 5-1.
Video: BAL@BOS: Pedroia exits after two-run single for lead
"It's David Ortiz," said Mookie Betts. "Any given time, you're a swing of the bat away from putting up one or four depending on how many are on base."
Buchholz stays hot: Buchholz allowed two earned runs or less for the sixth time in his past eight starts. Over his last nine starts, his ERA has gone from 6.03 to 3.68.
Video: BAL@BOS: Buchholz whiffs seven over seven frames
"A constant mix of all of his pitches," said Farrell. "There wasn't any one sequence that he would repeat, and he started a number of guys off with a number of different pitches. It was a constant change of speeds for him tonight, but he's been very dependable for us. Seven strong innings tonight." More >
An ugly O's sixth: An Orioles team widely regarded as one of the best in the league saw a one-run lead slip away in a sloppy sixth. It started with a pair of errors and a passed ball that saw Boston put runners on first and third with no outs. The Red Sox went on to score five unearned runs, two of which came on Ortiz's homer. Norris -- who faced just one batter over the minimum entering the frame -- couldn't get back on track and exited after a two-out single by Bogaerts.
Video: BAL@BOS: Leon reaches safely on Norris' error
"That's as good a five innings as he's pitched all year, in a row," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Norris. "I don't think he could pitch much better, and then a couple of defensive lapses. It really wasn't…maybe not getting over to cover first, assuming the glove broke at first base, I don't know what you could do about that. String [the glove] better, I guess." More >
Givens debuts: Baltimore righty Mychal Givens, who had his contract purchased from Double-A Bowie on June 20, made his debut in the eighth. The converted shortstop showed great poise at Fenway Park, turning in a 1-2-3 inning, including getting Ortiz to ground out.
"The few times I got warmed up and was hot, the adrenaline was going and my heart was beating," Givens said. "I was just trying to take everything in and enjoy the path I've been on." More >
Video: 6/24/15: Givens whiffs Napoli to end frame in debut
QUOTABLE
"My heart was pounding a little bit, but after the first pitch it went away. I just wanted to treat it like any other game, but just go out there and live in the moment." -- Givens, on his Major League debut
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Wednesday's game marked the first time the Orioles lost a game in which they allowed at least five runs, all of which were unearned, since Aug. 4, 1964, at the Los Angeles Angels.
Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon has caught eight of the 13 runners who have tried to steal against him this season.
Video: BAL@BOS: Leon throws out Machado on steal attempt
WHAT'S NEXT
Orioles: Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez will be activated off the disabled list and start Thursday's rubber game for Baltimore. Gonzalez had been sidelined with a groin injury, but rejoined the team in Boston and threw a side session Tuesday at Fenway.
Red Sox: Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, formerly a top prospect for the Orioles, draws the start in the finale of this three-game series at 1:35 p.m. ET on Thursday. Rodriguez has pitched well in four of his five starts since being called up.
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