The Thursday, June 14, 2018

* The Boston Globe

How much better is each time he faces an opponent’s starter?

Alex Speier

BALTIMORE – The “times through the order” penalty is a concept of growing significance in circles, yet the phrase is rather clunky. Perhaps there’s a better way to distill the idea that the odds shift in favor of the batter as he gets more looks at a in a game. Perhaps it could simply be called the #penaltyofmookie.

The remarkable 2018 campaign of Mookie Betts continued in the Red Sox’ 5-1 win over the Orioles on Wednesday with a 413-foot smash just to the right of straightaway center field at Camden Yards. Betts’ 18th homer of the year came in his second at-bat of the game against O’s starter Yefry Ramirez. The timing wasn’t coincidental.

Betts has been “merely” excellent in the Red Sox’ first of the game. He’s hitting .302/.375/.628 in his first glimpse of a starting pitcher – at a point in the contest when he’s creating context for what his opponent does. But in his second and third times facing an opposing starter, Betts is posting considerably higher numbers: a .429 average and 1.349 OPS in his second exposure to the pitcher, and a .439 average and 1.344 OPS in his third. His afternoon against Ramirez offered a glimpse into how Betts is using in-game information to lay waste to opposing starters.

With Ramirez making his big league debut, Betts had no direct familiarity with the righthander. Betts nonetheless jumped on the first pitch of Ramirez’s career, flying out to right on a meaty 90-m.p.h. .

But that single pitch started to establish an understanding of his opponent. So, too, did the next eight Red Sox batters. While Ramirez worked through 2 1/3 scoreless innings in his first time through the order, Betts observed patterns forming, identifying opportunities to attack.

“As he went through the lineup I just watched him and see how he pitched guys and formed a plan that way,” said Betts.

That sounds simple, but what Betts is doing is absorbing information on the fly, processing it, and turning it into a plan of attack. His pitch recognition permits him to sit on pitches outside the strike zone.

More often than not, in a matter of a few pitches (and with the benefit of pregame work studying video and heat maps of a pitcher’s attack zones), Betts is capable of dissecting his opponent for tendencies, recognizing not only what he throws but where the pitcher is likely to throw it.

“Certain guys have zones where they get hit the most and least,” said Betts. “You just have to try to pick a zone where you’re going to be more successful.”

Video and scouting charts are one way to do that, but nothing matches the actual opportunity to view a pitcher from the batter’s box and get the first-person information about what his arm action, release point, and pitch movement looks like. He also gains a feel for the game, how the pitcher is attacking the Red Sox lineup on that day.

A hitter who can blend that first-hand understanding with scouting reports (both those prepared by the team before a series and the feedback of teammates) becomes incredibly dangerous, particularly once he’s seen a pitcher first-hand. This year, Betts has become very dangerous in no small part because of the way that he’s applying the information.

“He’s so accepting of information. He’s a sponge. He talks to his teammates,” said Red Sox hitting coach . “When he is able to get in the batter’s box and see how the fastball is working, see the different pitches, he can work counts, and that’s where he’s dangerous. He has an idea of how the ball is moving at the plate. When he has that information, it’s a big asset for him.”

Ramirez found that out the hard way. In Betts’ second plate appearance Wednesday, he saw five and one – all away, with all of the pitches except the changeup elevated – en route to a 3-2 count. There were two at-bats and seven pitches of evidence to suggest that Ramirez was going to attack him away. That’s exactly what happened: on Ramirez’s second 3-2 pitch, Betts got another fastball up and away, this one at 93 m.p.h. He blasted the offering into the bleachers to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.

Betts vs. opposing starters Statistics based on facing the same starting pitcher three times in a single game. Career Average OBP Slugging 1st time .270 .326 .469 2nd time .340 .394 .576 3rd time .305 .354 .494 2018 Average OBP Slugging 1st time .302 .375 .628 2nd time .429 .468 .881 3rd time .438 .500 .844 SOURCE: Baseball-reference.com

Ramirez and the Orioles could be forgiven if they were ready to throw their hands up and accept that walking Betts might be preferable to attacking him once he already had an in-game look at an opposing pitcher. Indeed, after Ramirez started Betts with a pair of in the strike zone (the second resulting in a foul ball), he avoided the strike zone with his next four offerings to walk Betts in the third and final matchup of the two.

It was hard to blame him. As much as teammate J.D. Martinez (who homered to right on a shoulder-height 0-2 fastball) has received well-deserved praise for his hitting I.Q., this season has been one in which Betts has demonstrated his own batter’s box intellect in a fashion that has resulted in repeated evidence of the #penaltyofmookie.

“He’s always searching, he’s always grinding. He always [makes adjustments],” said Martinez. “He can make an in at-bat adjustment, which is what I feel like great hitters do.”

Chris Sale was smoking hot, in a bunch of ways

Nick Cafardo

BALTIMORE — was a little perturbed Wednesday afternoon on a steamy day at Camden Yards. It’s not often the ace lefthander gets miffed at umpires, but he was clearly disturbed about home plate Brian Knight’s strike zone on a day when the Red Sox needed length from their starter and got only six-plus innings from Sale, who was removed after walking the first two batters in the seventh inning to push his pitch count to 109.

On his way to the dugout, Sale made sure to stare down Knight and say something to him. Knight responded by throwing him out of the game.

“Wait a minute,” Sale should have said, “you can’t throw me out, I was coming out anyway!” After the ejection Sale gestured toward Knight and said something more before making his way into the tunnel and out of sight.

“It happens,” Sale said of his emotions. “There are going to be points in the season and game where nobody’s perfect. I lost my cool a little bit and that’s going to happen, too. When I feel something has been taken away from me I get emotional. But at the end of the day we won the game and everything turned out the way we wanted.”

The burst of emotion wasn’t the real story, just the sideshow, in the Red Sox’ 5-1 victory over the hapless . Sale was nearly unhittable (two singles) with a fastball that was generally in the 97-98- mile-per-hour range and a biting slider the Orioles couldn’t catch up to. They did manage to extend at-bats and draw four walks, so coupled with Knight’s stingy strike zone, the pitch count grew way too high.

But it was a comfortable win for Sale and the Red Sox. Manager didn’t have a lot of options in relief with the back end of the bullpen having been taxed in the first two games of the series. So he resorted to Brandon Workman, who worked his way out of Sale’s two-on, no-out jam in the seventh, and rookie Justin Haley, who allowed three base runners but pitched two scoreless innings to close out the win.

Cora probably figured he could get away with it because it’s the Orioles, and he was right.

Sale’s performance marked his ninth start in which he has allowed one or no earned runs. You would think he would have won every one of those starts, but Sale improved to just 6-4 and snapped a three-game losing streak. He pitched eight innings, struck out 10, and walked one in a 1-0 loss to the White Sox in his most recent start.

Sale did scuffle in the three-game skid, posting a 5.40 ERA (11 earned runs in 18⅓ innings). The Red Sox scored just four total runs in those three games.

Sale is now 6-0 in his last seven starts against the Orioles and has surrendered eight earned runs in 46 innings (1.57 ERA). But as the frustration with Knight grew, so did the pitch count.

He’s rediscovered his slider, which has always been a big pitch for him. He did bristle at the characterization that he was “locked in” with that pitch, though it sure looked that way.

“I don’t know if you ever want to talk about locked in or getting there,” Sale said. “There’s a lot of work involved, not only on my end but our pitching guys who noticed my release point and stuff like that. I got away from things I was doing when I was successful.”

Overall, Sale said, “I have a good rhythm and tempo going for me right now. I’m feeling good. That’s the way I like it.”

If there was something for Sale to be proud of it was the fact that he didn’t lose his cool until the end. Sale could have complained early in the game and risked getting ejected, which really would have put Cora into a jam of epic proportions.

“You put people in bad situations when you do that,” Sale said. “To do something stupid in the first, second, or fourth inning would be stupid. I just had to go out there and do my job and fill out innings.”

Sale could certainly sense that after a bad home series against the White Sox the Red Sox needed to complete the three-game sweep at Camden Yards. That’s precisely what happened.

“Sweeps are big, they really are,” Sale said. “Everybody talks about games at the end of the year but games now mean just as much. We’re all over the map on this trip. Three time zones. It’s a boost of energy for us going to Seattle against a team that’s playing really well.

“We had a bad series against Chicago and we didn’t get the job done. The White Sox series didn’t define us as a team. To bounce back and get a sweep shows who we are as a team.”

Sale wasn’t willing to denounce shouting at Knight after he had time to cool down.

“Stuff happens,” Sale said. “I’m not big on apologies or going back on things I’ve done. It happened. We’ll move forward.”

The Red Sox stuck to the game plan and swept the Orioles

Peter Abraham

BALTIMORE — Red Sox manager Alex Cora laid out his plan two hours before Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.

With several relief unavailable because of recent use, Cora said he wanted enough support for Chris Sale to work deep into the game then to get a few innings from well-rested rookie Justin Haley.

Sometimes it’s that easy.

Sale completed six innings, Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez hit home runs, and Haley got the final six outs in a 5-1 victory at Camden Yards.

“It’s not that easy,” Cora said after the Red Sox swept the three-game series.

He was being respectful. The Orioles are 19-48 and have lost 14 of their last 16 games. Baltimore scored only five runs in the series and with the team off on Thursday, it would not be a surprise if some sort of change were made to the field staff or front office.

The Orioles have the worst record in baseball and are 27 games out of first place.

As Baltimore fades away, the Red Sox will be in Seattle facing the antithesis of the Orioles in the Mariners. Seattle has won 11 of 13 and on Wednesday beat the on a walkoff by Mitch Haniger.

The Mariners are 22-7 since losing Robinson Cano to a fractured right hand and subsequent drug suspension.

The 47-22 Red Sox will arrive having won eight of 11.

“It’s a boost of energy going into Seattle. Seattle’s a good team,” Sale said.

Sale will get five days off before his next start and he will need it after throwing 109 pitches on a humid day at Camden Yards. It may take a few days for his anger to abate, too.

Sale (6-4) allowed one run on two hits with four walks and nine . He had hoped to go deeper in the game but came out after walking Mark Trumbo and Craig Gentry to start the seventh inning.

After Cora took Sale out of the game, the lefthander turned to shout at plate umpire Brian Knight as he walked off the mound and was ejected as he crossed the third base line.

Sale fist-bumped a few teammates in the dugout then climbed up a step to drop a few more choice words on the umpire before going to the clubhouse.

It was the second career ejection for Sale. He also was tossed on April 23, 2015, while a member of the White Sox.

“I didn’t see it. I heard it,” Cora said. “I was talking to the guys on the mound and they were like, ‘Oh, he just got ejected.’ I went and asked what happened and let [Knight] know how we felt about the strike zone.”

Sale thought the last pitch to Gentry was a strike, although tracking software showed it was not. But there were a few missed calls earlier in the game, including a clear strike in the third inning that was called a ball.

“Stuff happens. No one’s perfect. Obviously lost my cool a little bit. That’s going to happen, too,” Sale said.

Nothing Sale did would seem to merit a suspension, but he could be fined.

“Stuff happens, man,” he said. “I’m not big on apologies or going back on things I’ve done. It happened. It is what it is. We’ll move forward.”

Brandon Workman finished up the inning. Haley, in his Red Sox debut, finished the game from there.

The Sox are 9-1 against the Orioles this season, outscoring them, 54-24.

The Orioles called up 24-year-old righthander Yefry Ramirez to make the start. He allowed three runs on four hits over 4⅓ innings in his major league debut.

Betts had a solo homer off Ramirez in the third inning, his 18th of the season and first since coming off the disabled list on Monday.

Martinez homered in the seventh, his 22nd.

Eduardo Nunez added two hits and one RBI. extended his hit streak to eight games with an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 3 with two walks and scored a run.

“We did a few good things,” Cora said. “We knew a little bit about [Ramirez]. We did a good job getting him out of there.”

Mookie Betts shows he’s all good after stint on the disabled list

Peter Abraham

BALTIMORE — Mookie Betts swung at the first pitch of the game on Wednesday and popped out to right field. But in the third inning, he worked the count full and homered to right-center field against Baltimore rookie Yefry Ramirez.

The shot led to a 5-1 victory by the Red Sox and further showed that Betts is fully healed after missing 12 games with a strained abdominal muscle.

“Going out and being able to put up some good swings is definitely something I’m proud of,” he said.

Betts has 12 home runs and 27 RBIs in 33 career games at Camden Yards.

Betts used his legs to score in the fifth inning. After two walks by Ramirez, Betts was on second base when reliever Mike Wright bounced a pitch. Betts took third base and scored on a sacrifice fly by .

“You saw him being aggressive on the first pitch of the game,” manager Alex Cora said. “The quality of the at-bats, they’re incredible. From not playing for two weeks and being able to lay off some pitches on the edges of the strike zone, the guy’s talented.”

Betts was given a day off after playing on Monday. He expects to be back in the lineup in Seattle on Thursday night.

“I’ve tested it. I feel fine,” he said.

Closing time inherited a four-run lead on Tuesday night and allowed two runs. There were two walks before Mark Trumbo doubled to right field on a two-strike fastball.

The Red Sox held on for a 6-4 victory, but it again raised questions about how best to use one of the most dominant closers in the game.

That Kimbrel now has a 4.05 in non- situations (compared with 2.01 with a save on the line) seems telling.

But there are only 6⅔ innings to evaluate and opponents have a wholly unsustainable .438 batting average on balls in play in those situations.

“I don’t know, honestly,” Cora said. “We’re going to use him when we feel we have to use him.”

Even without a save on the line, Cora felt he needed Kimbrel given the other bullpen options.

Cora doesn’t believe in the idea that closers pitch differently in non-save situations.

“The game is 10-1 and you have an at-bat, you’re not going to put your effort in that at-bat because the game is 10-1? It’s still your numbers,” Cora said. “They have their pride. They want to get people out.”

Kimbrel had a 5.12 ERA in non-save situations in 2016, allowing 11 earned runs over 19⅓ innings. That flipped in 2017, Kimbrel giving up only two earned runs over 28 runs in non-save scenarios.

Of greater concern in the big picture is that Kimbrel is averaging 2.8 walks per nine innings, up from 1.8 last season. But these are minor flaws.

“I’m happy with the performance and I know he’s going to keep getting better,” Cora said.

Mariner matchups The Sox will play seven of their next 10 games against the . They start a four-game series at Safeco Field on Thursday with facing Felix Hernandez.

They are trending in different directions. Price is 5-0 with a 2.89 earned run average in his last six starts. Hernandez is 2-3 with a 6.52 ERA in seven starts since May 6.

In his last three starts against the Red Sox, Hernandez has allowed 18 runs over 14 innings.

Price is 3-1 with a 2.62 ERA in seven career starts against Seattle.

College ties The College starts Saturday and the Red Sox will be paying attention. (Arkansas), Brian Johnson (Florida), (Mississippi State), and Brandon Workman () played for schools in the field.

Only one Red Sox draft pick, Texas righthander Chase Shugart, is still playing. He was the team’s pick in the 12th round this year.

Shugart threw six innings against Tennessee Tech and allowed one run in an elimination game in the Super Regionals on Sunday. He’s 6-3 with a 4.07 ERA over 19 games.

Kody Clemens, ’s youngest son, is hitting .356 for the Longhorns with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs. He was a third-round pick of the Tigers.

Gold glove Brock Holt started at first base Wednesday for the first time since last Aug. 21. He was tested in the first inning when grounded to third and Rafael Devers bounced the throw. Holt snapped it up to end the inning.

Holt also made a nice play in the sixth to stay on the bag to snag a high throw from Bogaerts.

His foot may have come off the bag — “I do know it was on at one point,” Holt said — but the Orioles were out of challenges.

Holt also was 2 for 3. He has a .391 on-base percentage.

What a relief Sox relievers have allowed six earned runs over 34⅔ innings in the last 11 games and struck out 40 . . . ’s biceps tendinitis has cleared up. But the lefthander has been unable to throw because of a stiff neck. Pomeranz is eligible to come off the disabled list but it does not seem that will happen any time soon . . . Dustin Pedroia is sidelined from baseball activities as he deals with inflammation in his left knee. But he can do some things. “I’m going to lift recreationally,” Pedroia announced before the game . . . Jackie Bradley Jr. (0 for 4) has one hit in his last 23 at-bats and is down to .181. But that streak includes six line-drive outs, two on Wednesday. “The people that are watching the game know he’s getting close,” Cora said. “Two missiles today, [Tuesday] the same thing. After the game I said, ‘Don’t change a thing.’ ” . . . Baltimore lefthander Richard Bleier left the game in the seventh inning with a lat injury and is expected to land on the disabled list . . . Red Sox righthander Carson Smith had season-ending shoulder surgery in New York.

Mookie Betts leads all of baseball in All-Star voting

Peter Abraham

A 13-day stint on the disabled list did not hurt Mookie Betts’s chances at the All-Star team. Per , Betts leads all players with 748,872 votes.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (701,236) is second and Angels center fielder (639,822) is third.

Betts was elected as a starter in 2016 and selected to the team in ’17.

“He’s a likable guy. He’s a great bowler,” manager Alex Cora said. “Probably they’re voting, too, the bowling community.”

J.D. Martinez is first among designated hitters and has a 281,530-vote lead on of the Yankees. Through Monday, Martinez had a 1.030 OPS and Stanton was at .810.

Mitch Moreland is in second place among first baseman, only 25,923 votes behind Jose Abreu of the White Sox.

Andrew Benintendi is sixth among .

All-Star voting through June 12 AMERICAN LEAGUE

FIRST BASEMEN 1. Jose Abreu, White Sox, 267,812

2. Mitch Moreland, Red Sox, 241,889

3. , Tigers, 173,174

4. , Angels, 155,219

5. Yuli Gurriel, Astros, 154,363

SECOND BASEMEN 1. Jose Altuve, Astros, 701,236

2. Gleyber Torres, Yankees, 279,810

3. Dee Gordon, Mariners, 87,647

4. Jed Lowrie, A's, 70,454

5. Jason Kipnis, Indians, 68,151

THIRD BASEMEN 1. Jose Ramirez, Indians, 443,234

2. Miguel Andujar, Yankees, 219,691

3. Alex Bregman, Astros, 180,911

4. Adrian Beltre, Rangers, 121,403

5. , Royals, 112,150

SHORTSTOPS 1. Manny Machado, Orioles, 321,887

2. Francisco Lindor, Indians, 211,756

3. Didi Gregorius, Yankees, 208,583

4. Carlos Correa, Astros, 206,727

5. Andrelton Simmons, Angels,135,562

CATCHERS 1. Gary Sanchez, Yankees, 336,280

2. Wilson Ramos, Rays, 320,969

3. Brian McCann, Astros, 174,661

4. Salvador Perez, Royals, 144,457

5. Martin Maldonado, Angels, 94,928

OUTFIELDERS 1. Mookie Betts, Red Sox, 748,872

2. Mike Trout, Angels, 639,822

3. , Yankees, 541,983

4. , Indians, 238,659

5. , Astros, 225,316

6. Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox, 208,837

7. Brett Gardner, Yankees, 160,123

8. Marwin Gonzalez, Astros, 132,961

9. Nicholas Castellanos, Tigers, 124,676

10. Josh Reddick, Astros, 124,340

11. Aaron Hicks, Yankees, 119,660

12. Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox, 105,821

13. Mitch Haniger, Mariners, 100,149

14. Eddie Rosario, Twins, 92,271

15. , Indians, 63,725

DESIGNATED HITTER 1. J.D. Martinez, Red Sox, 513,415

2. Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees, 231,885

3. Shohei Ohtani, Angels, 218,981

4. Evan Gattis, Astros, 155,091

5. Edwin Encarnacion, Indians, 119,526

___

NATIONAL LEAGUE

FIRST BASEMEN 1. Freddie Freeman, Braves, 633,342

2. Anthony Rizzo, Cubs, 248,275

3. Brandon Belt, Giants, 162,750

4. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers, 113,392

5. Joey Votto, Reds, 83,272

SECOND BASEMEN 1. Ozzie Albies, Braves, 398,816

2. Javier Báez, Cubs, 360,307

3. Scooter Gennett, Reds, 309,512

4. Asdrúbal Cabrera, Mets, 97,243

5. Joe Panik, Giants, 62,325

THIRD BASEMEN 1. Nolan Arenado, Rockies, 527,683

2. , Cubs, 305,062

3. Johan Camargo, Braves, 152,260

4. Eugenio Suarez, Reds, 87,659

5. Justin Turner, Dodgers, 87,387

SHORTSTOPS 1. Brandon Crawford, Giants, 466,021

2. Dansby Swanson, Braves, 225,182

3. Addison Russell, Cubs, 210,764

4. Trea Turner, Nationals, 158,252

5. Trevor Story, Rockies, 143,603

CATCHERS 1. Buster Posey, Giants, 281,331

2. Willson Contreras, Cubs, 259,427

3. Kurt Suzuki, Braves, 223,108

4. Francisco Cervelli, Pirates, 168,832

5. Yadier Molina, Cardinals, 152,336

OUTFIELDERS 1. , Nationals, 498,189

2. Nick Markakis, Braves, 494,206

3. Matt Kemp, Dodgers, 351,780

4. , Rockies, 309,099

5. Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves, 277,077

6. Ender Inciarte, Braves, 225,225

7. Kyle Schwarber, Cubs, 203,299

8. Ben Zobrist, Cubs, 196,837

9. Odúbel Herrera, Phillies, 189,234

10. Jason Heyward, Cubs, 175,583

11. Christian Yelich, Brewers, 163,575

12. Corey Dickerson, Pirates, 150,239

13. A.J. Pollock, Diamondbacks, 110,055

14. Matt Adams, Nationals, 106,317

15. Lorenzo Cain, Brewers, 104,948

* The Boston Herald

Chris Sale gives Red Sox a boost before getting the boot

Jason Mastrodonato

BALTIMORE — It finally happened.

In his 47th start with the Red Sox, Chris Sale gave fans what they’ve been curiously anticipating since he was traded to Boston before the 2017 season.

Sale lost his temper.

It wasn’t quite scissors-to-the-alternate-uniforms anger, but Sale was steaming hot as he walked off the mound in the seventh inning of the Red Sox’ 5-1 win to complete the sweep of the last place Baltimore Orioles yesterday.

With a tired bullpen, the Red Sox badly needed innings from their No. 1 starter. Sale gave them six and was trying to go further when he walked the first two batters of the seventh. When manager Alex Cora took him out, six-plus innings of anger with home plate umpire Brian Knight finally came out.

Sale cursed and yelled at Knight, who ejected him before he made it to the dugout. Sale slapped hands with teammates, than ran up the dugout steps to holler a bit more before making his way to the clubhouse.

Sale had no regrets.

“Stuff happens man,” he said. “I mean I’m not big on apologies or going back on things I’ve done. It happened, you know? It is what it is. We’ll move forward.”

It was Sale’s second career ejection, his last in 2015 when he reportedly approached the ’ locker room and began banging on the door in the eighth inning.

He was fired up yesterday, knowing he had to go deep and perhaps desperate to get a win after the Sox lost in each of his last three starts and were just 7-7 with him on the mound heading into this one. Sale threw 109 pitches, 69 for strikes, on his way to his sixth win of the season.

None of the pitches called as balls during those walks were considered strikes by MLB’s pitch/fx technology. But Knight appeared to miss a strike call on Manny Machado in the first inning, another on Craig Gentry in the second and an egregiously bad miss on a belt-high pitch on the outside part of the plate against Joey Rickard in the third.

“There are going to be points in the season, points in the game where stuff happens,” Sale said. “No one is perfect. Obviously I lost my cool a little bit. That’s going to happen, too. I like competing. I feel like getting something taken away from me, I get pretty emotional. At the end of the day we’re human, stuff is going to happen. It is what it is.”

Sale was frustrated all game, but kept his cool until the seventh when he was finally replaced by Justin Haley, who made his Red Sox debut with three innings of one-run ball.

“You put people in bad situations when you (get ejected early in the game),” Sale said. “The bullpen has worked their butts off this year. We’ve leaned on them quite a bit. If you do something stupid in the second, third or fourth inning, I still have a job to do. I try to push that to the wayside and deal with it later. I try to go out there, do my job, fill up innings and try to win a ball game.”

There was little to complain about from a fan’s perspective. Sale did his job and he made it look easy, allowing just two hits and striking out nine. But he walked four batters, one of which led to an O’s run in the seventh. His walk rate is now approaching his career high of 2.4 batters per nine innings.

“I didn’t see the ejection; I heard it,” said Sox manager Alex Cora. “I was talking to the guys on the mound and they were like ‘oh, he just got ejected.’ I went down there and asked what happened and just let him know how we felt about the strike zone. But it is what it is.”

The Sox offense scored three runs off Orioles starter Yefry Ramirez, who made his major league debut and went 41⁄3 innings.

Mookie Betts started the scoring with a solo homer in the third inning, his 18th of the year and first since coming back from the disabled list. After scoring three in the fourth, the Sox got another in the seventh when J.D. Martinez hit an 0-2 pitch about shoulder-high for an opposite-field home run, his 22nd of the season, one behind MLB-leader Mike Trout.

A sweep over the lowly Orioles, a team gearing up to trade Machado while headed for the first overall pick in next year’s draft, was enough for the Sox to feel good heading into their series with the first-place Mariners.

“Just a boost of energy for us going into Seattle,” Sale said.

Red Sox notebook: Mookie Betts shows no rust at plate after missing time with abdominal strain

Jason Mastrodonato

BALTIMORE — Mookie Betts’ left abdominal strain looked like a thing of the past yesterday.

In just his second game back from the injury, Betts stayed back on a 94-mph fastball and squared it up to right-center field for his 18th homer of the season.

“I don’t know, maybe this is just my place,” Betts said after the Red Sox’ 5-1 win over the Orioles.

It was his 12th homer in 32 games at Camden Yards, where he’s made a habit of torturing the O’s.

Betts saw just one pitch in his first at-bat against rookie Yefry Ramirez, but studied him enough through the next two innings to have a good idea of what to do his second time up.

“As he went through the lineup I just watched him and see how he pitched guys and formed a plan that way,” Betts said. “We did our homework.”

Even after missing two weeks, Betts passed on a rehab assignment to come straight back to the big league club, and he’s showing no signs of rust.

“I have put in some work in terms of tracking pitches and whatnot,” Betts said. “Trying to stay as close to game ready as I can. But going out and being able to put up some good swings is definitely something I’m proud of.”

Mitch takes break

Mitch Moreland sat out the game after going 3-for-22 in his previous seven.

“I mean his at bats (Tuesday) were good, two walks and a single,” manager Alex Cora said. “But I think he’s pulling off a little.”

Brock Holt started at first base for the first time this year and the second time since 2015.

Moreland was hitting .310 with a 1.000 OPS entering June 6 but has cooled off a bit lately. The Sox are trying to be careful with the veteran after he accumulated 576 plate appearances last year, the most in his career.

“We have to take care of Mitch,” Cora said. “We saw what happened last year and obviously he had an injury it didn’t benefit him but body wise we have to take care of him. We know how important he is, what he brings to the table so we have to do that.”

Confusing numbers

Craig Kimbrel’s confusing numbers in non-save situations have returned.

After he gave up two runs on Tuesday night, when he was called on to protect a four-run lead in the ninth inning, Kimbrel’s season stats in non-save situations continue to be wildly different than his numbers otherwise.

The flamethrowing closer continues to dominate in save chances, holding opponents to a .108 average and .478 OPS, but after Tuesday night’s outing he’s now giving up a .296 average and .925 OPS in non-save situations.

In 2016, his first year with the Sox, it was more like it is now with a .115 average and .449 OPS in save situations compared to a .211 average and .676 OPS in non-save situations.

Cora doesn’t believe there’s anything to the differing numbers.

“(Tuesday) for me was a save situation because he saved our guys over there (in the bullpen),” Cora said. “It all depends how you see it.”

Cora called on Kimbrel because the bullpen was largely exhausted. Including the closer, the bullpen worked 31⁄3 innings Tuesday and 52⁄3 innings on Monday.

What does the skipper make of Kimbrel’s offsetting numbers?

“I don’t know,” Cora said. “I think like (Tuesday) he had Mark Trumbo 0-2, Manny Machado put a good at-bat. I don’t know, honestly, I don’t know if that’s true or not. You guys have the numbers so you can help me out with that one. We’re going to use him when we feel like we have to use him.”

Cora wasn’t buying into the idea that there’s more adrenaline in save situations.

“I don’t know, I look at the gun and it doesn’t just seem like he’s working on mechanics or working on his pitches; he’s going full-out,” Cora said. “I really don’t know. I’ve been around the game a lot and at the end of the day you have to get outs. He’s done it before for us. (Tuesday) he understood where we were.

“I don’t believe in it, honestly. It’s like, the game is 10-1, you have an at-bat, you’re not going to put your effort into that at-bat because the game is 10-1? It’s still your numbers. They’re proud. They have pride. They want to get people out the same way they want to hit him. You have good days and bad days. At the end of the day, he gave us the 27th out, which matters.”

Smith surgery

Carson Smith underwent successful surgery on his throwing shoulder yesterday and the Red Sox officially announced he would miss the rest of 2018. . . .

Drew Pomeranz still has a sore neck that is “bothering him a lot,” Cora said, and hasn’t made much progress in his return from biceps tendinitis.

Alex Cora not concerned about Craig Kimbrel's situational results

Jason Mastrodonato

BALTIMORE -- Craig Kimbrel’s confusing numbers in non-save situations have returned.

After he gave up two runs on Tuesday night, when he was called on to protect a four-run lead in the ninth inning of the Red Sox’ 6-4 win over the Orioles, Kimbrel’s season stats in non-save situations continue to be wildly different than his numbers otherwise.

The flamethrowing closer continues to dominate in save chances, holding opponents to a .108 average and .478 OPS, but after last night’s outing he’s now giving up a .296 average and .925 OPS in non-save situations.

This is a trend that’s existed throughout his career, particularly in his time with the Red Sox.

Last year it wasn't an issue, when he held opponents to a .137 average and .479 OPS in save situations vs. a .146 average and .394 OPS in non-save situations.

But in 2016, his first year in Boston, it was more like it is now with a .115 average and .449 OPS in save situations compared to a .211 average and .676 OPS in save situations.

In his career, it’s a .140 average and .436 OPS in save chances vs. a .188 average and .574 OPS otherwise.

Former Red Sox manager John Farrell couldn’t figure it out, though he once said he was reconsidering using Kimbrel in non-save chances.

New manager Alex Cora doesn’t believe there’s anything to the differing numbers.

“Like, yesterday for me was a save situation because he saved our guys over there (in the bullpen),” Cora said. “It all depends how you see it."

Cora called on Kimbrel on Tuesday because the bullpen was largely exhausted after being used for 5-⅔ innings the night before and 3-⅓ innings last night.

What does the skipper make of Kimbrel’s confusing numbers?

“I don’t know,” Cora said. “I think like yesterday he had Mark Trumbo 0-2, Manny Machado put a good at-bat. I don’t know, honestly, I don’t know if that’s true or not. You guys have the numbers so you can help me out with that one. We’re going to use him when we feel like we have to use him.

“Yesterday was a day where we were in the game, who we had available in the bullpen, it was better off using him there than using our long guy and bringing him in. If something happened, then all of a sudden something really bad happened and we’re really really short. I think Mitch Moreland would have to go to the mound and try to get three outs.”

Cora wasn’t buying into the idea that there’s more adrenaline in save situations.

“I don’t know, I look at the gun and it doesn’t just seem like he’s working on mechanics or working on his pitches; he’s going full-out,” Cora said. “I really don’t know. I’ve been around the game a lot and at the end of the day you have to get outs. He’s done it before for us. Yesterday he understood where we were.

“I don’t believe in it, honesty. It’s like, the game is 10-1, you have an at-bat, you’re not going to put your effort into that at-bat because the game game is 10-1? It’s still your numbers. They’re proud. They have pride. They want to get people out the same way they want to hit him. You have good days and bad days. At the end of the day, he gave us the 27th out, which matters.”

Kimbrel has said in previous years that there was nothing different to him while pitching in save situations or non-save situations.

He’s having another strong year, with a 2.48 ERA and 21 saves, but his rate is down from an absurd 16.4 batters/nine innings to 13 batters/nine, and his walk rate is up from 1.8 to 2.8.

Jury clears John Henry, Sox in fan’s foul ball injury lawsuit

Marie Szaniszlo

A Suffolk County jury yesterday found the Red Sox and owner John Henry were not negligent when a fan was struck in the face in 2014 by a foul ball hit by former Sox slugger .

Stephanie Taubin sued for $9.5 million, claiming that the team and Henry were to blame when she was hit while she sat above home plate in a luxury box unshielded by glass or netting at Fenway Park.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed at the result,” said her lawyer, Marc Diller. “It needs to be known that Ms. Taubin was paying attention, and the speed of the ball was so fast that she couldn’t avoid it.”

Taubin, 49, of Brookline, underwent three surgeries to repair broken bones in her face and suffered permanent nerve damage beneath her left eye, Diller said.

“She had the courage to stand up for her rights and the safety of others,” he said.

“Since she brought this lawsuit, the case has helped spark a national dialogue about safety at ballparks. She just hopes the Red Sox continue to evaluate safety at Fenway Park.”

Lawyers for the Red Sox did not return calls yesterday seeking comment.

* The Providence Journal

Red Sox 5, Orioles 1: Boston completes the sweep

Bill Koch

BALTIMORE — Chris Sale was nearly unhittable. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez each hit solo home runs. Andrew Benintendi reached base safely four times and came around to score in the fifth inning.

If there is an almost certain winning formula for the Red Sox, this is it.

The fact that Boston was playing against the woeful Orioles at Camden Yards only made things easier on Wednesday afternoon. The Red Sox closed out a second series sweep of Baltimore this season with a 5-1 victory.

Boston has now won nine of its 10 meetings with the Orioles this season and 12 of 13 dating back to 2017. The Red Sox will have gone more than 13 months without losing at this ballpark by the time they make a return trip in late July. Baltimore is already 29 games under .500 and appears to have no hope of escaping the American League East basement anytime soon.

“Sweeps are big,” Sale said. “They really are. Everyone likes to talk about games at the end of the year — August and September, all that stuff — but the games right now count just as much.”

“Our division is tough,” Betts said. “To come in and sweep a ballclub is huge.”

It was the ninth start this season in which Sale allowed one earned run or less, as the left-hander snapped his personal three-game losing streak. Singles by Danny Valencia and Trey Mancini were all the Orioles had to show in six-plus innings against Sale, with Brandon Workman conceding an inherited run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

“I felt good,” Sale said. “I felt loose. Just feel like I’ve got some good rhythm and tempo going right now.”

Sale was issued his second career ejection by home plate umpire Brian Knight, that coming after he was already removed from the game. Sale had walked the first two hitters in the seventh, raising his pitch count to 109 and forcing Boston manager Alex Cora to bring Workman out of his taxed bullpen. The right-hander combined with Justin Haley to record the final nine outs, with Haley tossing two scoreless innings in his first big league appearance since May 2017.

“I like competing, and I feel like when something is getting taken away from me I get pretty emotional,” Sale said.

Betts came off the disabled list Monday, had a day off Tuesday and looked like his old self on Wednesday. He crushed a one-out solo homer to the bleachers in right-center, giving Boston a 1-0 lead in the third, before manufacturing a run with his legs in the fifth. Betts drew a one-out walk, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored when Xander Bogaerts lifted a sacrifice fly to right.

“I’m almost not even impressed by most of the things he does anymore,” Sale said. “He’s an unbelievable ballplayer. There’s nothing I can say here that’s going to be new to anybody.”

“The quality of the at-bats, they’re incredible,” Cora said. “From not playing for two weeks and being able to lay off some pitches on the edges of the strike zone, the guy’s talented.”

That was the inning where the Red Sox finally gained some separation, knocking Orioles right-hander Yefry Ramirez out of his big league debut. Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nunez stung back-to-back RBI singles against reliever Mike Wright Jr., who allowed both of his inherited runners to score.

Wright was also tagged with two runs of his own, the second coming on one swing from Martinez in the seventh. An 0-and-2 fastball at the shoulders wasn’t safe, as Martinez cracked one to the bleachers in right. It was the slugger’s 22nd round-tripper of the season, as he continues to keep pace with Angels Mike Trout atop the majors.

Red Sox’ bullpen needed a break on Wednesday

Bill Koch

BALTIMORE — The conversation began soon after the Red Sox posted a 6-4 victory over the Orioles on Tuesday night.

Chris Sale would take the ball the following afternoon at Camden Yards, wrapping up the three-game series and opening leg of the three-city road trip. Just who was to follow the left-hander was anybody’s guess, with Boston’s bullpen taxed by the previous two grueling nights against Baltimore.

Craig Kimbrel had thrown 56 pitches against the Orioles over a pair of appearances. had worked twice. Hector Velazquez and were both stretched after delivering 28 and 25 pitches, respectively, the previous evening.

“It starts with the medical staff,” Cora said prior to Wednesday’s game. “We’ve already got the information. I already talked with a few guys last night. I just talked to a few of them today — how they feel, where they’re at — and we go from there.”

Kimbrel warmed up at least three times before being summoned Monday night, closing out a 2-0, 12-inning victory. He was up again in a non-save situation on Tuesday, allowing a two-run to Mark Trumbo in a 6-2 game before ultimately grinding his way through the final out.

“It wasn’t an easy decision because today might be a one-run game or a high-leverage situation and we don’t have him,” Cora said. “I felt like we win the series, we move on, tomorrow we’ve got Chris.”

Kelly was summoned with the bases loaded in the seventh inning on Monday and Tuesday, and each time he worked his way out of the jam. Tuesday’s bouncer back to the mound by Jonathan Schoop resulted in a 1-2 force out at the plate, with Kelly making a simple flip to Christian Vazquez.

“I have an idea who’s going to be that guy in a high-leverage situation at the end, but it all depends how the game goes,” Cora said. “It’s not that easy.”

One bright spot for the Red Sox was a high-leverage appearance Monday for Brandon Workman, his first real tight squeeze since being recalled from -A Pawtucket on June 5. Workman was summoned with two outs in the ninth and the winning run aboard, but he fanned Pedro Alvarez with a breaking ball and stranded a pair in the 10th by striking out Trey Mancini.

“Can’t really afford to make a mistake,” Workman said. “Everybody that threw that night, it’s a big spot. I’m just glad I was able to throw well.”

“He’s a lot better than spring training — the fastball up and the breaking ball,” Cora said Tuesday. “The velocity is not 94, 95, but 91, 92 is enough to create separation. He made some good pitches yesterday.”

Workman is the lone member of the pitching staff with a World Series ring, that coming with Boston in 2013. It’s been a point of emphasis for Cora, motivation he began using as early as spring training. The fact that Workman was demoted to the minor leagues prior to the season and is now making a meaningful contribution is also something Cora has consistently cited.

“I told these guys in spring training there are a lot of guys that are going to be here who weren’t here to start the season who are going to contribute,” Cora said Tuesday. “So far, if you look at the guys who have contributed — [Marcus] Walden, [Bobby] Poyner, now Workman — that’s part of the equation.

“I felt good coming into the season with our pitching staff, our relievers. I felt last year that was a strength of the team.”

Red Sox Journal: Former teammates react to Miguel Cabrera’s injury

Bill Koch

BALTIMORE — Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera swung and missed at a breaking ball from Minnesota’s Jake Odorizzi, grabbed his left arm and walked directly into uncertainty.

The Tigers slugger ruptured his biceps tendon against the Twins on Tuesday night, an injury requiring surgery that will end his season. The last Triple Crown winner in the big leagues has two former teammates and a noteworthy fan in the Red Sox clubhouse, and his injury hit them hard

J.D. Martinez spent three full seasons with Detroit from 2014-16 and was with the Tigers for the first half of 2017 before his trade to the Diamondbacks. David Price was traded from the Rays to Detroit at the 2014 deadline and spent one year with the organization. He was later dealt to the Blue Jays in 2015, but his short time with Cabrera made a significant impression on the Boston left-hander.

“I know what he brings to that team,” Price said. “Obviously what he brings on the field, but in that clubhouse, in the dugout, the way he goes about his business, I respect him a ton.”

The Tigers were one of several teams to interview Red Sox manager Alex Cora in the offseason, with Detroit ultimately hiring Ron Gardenhire. Cora was wary of the rebuilding project currently underway in the Motor City, but he was also somewhat enticed by the prospect of writing a future Hall of Famer’s name in his lineup every day at either first base or .

“I was telling somebody it must be nice to show up every day and be that happy — obviously because he rakes,” Cora said. “I saw a stat today, I think his exit velocity was his highest of his career. He was impacting the ball and now this happens. It sucks.”

Cabrera made history in 2012, winning the American League Triple Crown with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs and 139 RBI. He was the first player to sweep all three categories since Boston’s in 1967 and, like the former Red Sox great, captured league Most Valuable Player honors. Cabrera was actually even better while capturing a second MVP award in 2013, upping his average to .348 and compiling a 1.078 OPS.

Holt at first

Brock Holt drew his first start of the season at first base for Boston and was tested early, picking a one-hop throw across the diamond from Rafael Devers for the last out of the first inning.

It was a scheduled day off for Mitch Moreland, who has cooled somewhat after a blistering stretch. Moreland is just 5-for-26 in his last eight games, including a lone double.

“He’s been chasing a little bit,” Cora said. “Today is a good day for him. Brock is swinging the bat well.”

Holt singled and walked twice Tuesday night in a 6-4 win, and his versatility adds significant value to the Red Sox roster. He’s made previous appearances at second base, shortstop, left field and right field in 38 games with Boston this season.

“Sometimes I get a little bit scared because [Moreland] wants to work and work and work,” Cora said. “Now that he’s playing every day we have to be careful with that.”

Rehab stint continues

Tyler Thornburg (right shoulder) and the rest of the Red Sox went their separate ways Wednesday night, with Boston’s traveling party bound for Seattle and the right-handed reliever off to continue his rehab assignment.

Thornburg with pitch for Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday night at Lehigh Valley. His second 30-day stint with the PawSox has gone smoothly thus far, with Thornburg turning in the latest of his three scoreless appearances on Sunday against Indianapolis.

“One thing I do like is for him to be around and see how we’re doing things,” Cora said. “That’s very important.”

Thornburg’s velocity has ticked up to 95 mph in each of his last two appearances, and Cora is hoping for something similar this weekend. Thornburg is scheduled to pitch again either Saturday or Sunday, then potentially graduate to back-to-back days. This is the stage where the Red Sox had to back off previously, shutting Thornburg down after a May 22 outing against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“It’s good for him to be around the training staff and for me to see him on a daily basis and see how he feels,” Cora said. “He’ll leave tonight, he’ll go down there and pitch tomorrow.”

* MassLive.com

Chris Sale ejection: Boston Red Sox left-hander 'not big on apologies' after barking at umpire

Chris Cotillo

BALTIMORE -- After being ejected from Wednesday's finale against the Orioles for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Brian Knight, Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale didn't regret his fiery actions.

"Stuff happens, man," Sale said. "I'm not big on apologies or going back on things I've done. It happened. We'll move forward."

Sale was tossed after he was pulled out of the game by manager Alex Cora, so the ejection had no impact on the course of the game. Sale's frustrations boiled over after some questionable calls from Knight on back-to-back walks to Mark Trumbo and Craig Gentry.

"There are gonna be points in the season and points in the game where stuff happens," Sale said. "No one's perfect. I obviously lost my cool a little bit and that's gonna happen, too. I like competing and when I feel like something has been taken away from me, I get pretty emotional."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said there were a few pitches throughout the game that Sale "wasn't getting." He had his back turned to Sale when the pitcher was yelling in Knight's direction.

"I didn't see it," Cora said. "I heard it. I was talking to the guys on the mound and they told me he was ejected. I let him know how we felt about the strike zone."

Boston Red Sox stars Chris Sale, Mookie Betts lead them to 5-1 win to clinch sweep vs. Orioles

Chris Cotillo

BALTIMORE -- Led by two calm stars and one feisty one, the Red Sox finished off a sweep of the last- place Orioles, winning 5-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Camden Yards.

Starter Chris Sale (6-4, 2.75 ERA) was dominant for Boston in six innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out nine. After being pulled by manager Alex Cora, he barked at home-plate umpire Brian Knight about his strike zone and was ejected for only the second time in his career.

Mookie Betts hit his first home run since returning from injury in the third inning, belting a 413-ft. shot to center. The Sox rallied for three more runs in the fifth before J.D. Martinez hit his 22nd homer of the season, a 362-ft. blast to the opposite field.

Eduardo Nunez, Brock Holt and Andrew Benintendi each had two hits for Boston. The Red Sox continued the dominance over the Orioles, having won nine of 10 games this season and 12 of the last 13 meetings between the clubs.

Sox make do with thin bullpen

The major concern heading into Wednesday's game was the state of the Sox' bullpen, which had pitched 8.2 innings over the first two days of the series. Sale came out for the seventh before issuing two walks and was pulled at 109 pitches.

Brandon Workman, who pitched Monday and Justin Haley, who made his Red Sox debut, combined for three scoreless innings. Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly were both unavailable after each pitching on back-to- back days.

Ramirez lasts 4.1 innings in major-league debut, but keeps O's in it

Orioles starter Yefry Ramirez made his major-league debut, lasting only 4.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on four hits while striking out six. He left with the score still 1-0 before Mike Wright Jr. allowed two inherited runners to score.

Ramirez pitched in place of Andrew Cashner, who was scratched from his start and placed on the disabled list Tuesday.

Sox' trip continues with tough test in Seattle

Wednesday is one of the toughest travel days of the year for the Sox, who will fly to Seattle after the game and play the first of four games against the Mariners on Thursday night at 10:10 ET. The 3:05 p.m. getaway day start helps, but a 1:05 p.m. start would've been better for travel.

David Price will face Felix Hernandez on Thursday, will face James Paxton on Friday, will take on Wade LeBlanc on Saturday and Eduardo Rodriguez will face Mike Leake on Sunday. The Sox are off next Monday before a three-game series in Minnesota.

Chris Sale ejection: Boston Red Sox starter thrown out after being pulled in seventh inning

Chris Cotillo

BALTIMORE -- Although he was already taken out of the game by manager Alex Cora, Red Sox starter Chris Sale was ejected from Wednesday's game after barking at home plate umpire Brian Knight about balls and strikes on his way off the field.

Sale issued back-to-back walks to Mark Trumbo and Craig Gentry to lead off the seventh and bent over in frustration after ball four to Gentry, which was close. As Red Sox fans gave him a standing ovation, Sale expressed his frustrations toward Knight and was promptly ejected before yelling in Knight's direction once again from the dugout.

Sale had been ejected in his major-league career just once before, in April 2015 after a brawl between the White Sox and Royals. Sale reportedly tried to enter Kansas City's clubhouse after the game before being calmed down by White Sox teammates.

Sale was excellent before being removed, being tagged with only one earned run on two hits in six innings while striking out nine Orioles. Brandon Workman replaced Sale in Wednesday's game, allowing an inherited runner to score.

Saving bullpen critical for Boston Red Sox in final game vs. Orioles

Chris Cotillo

BALTIMORE -- As the Red Sox go for a sweep Wednesday afternoon against the Orioles, preserving the bullpen for a four-game set in Seattle will be key. The good news is that Boston has the right man on the mound to do so.

Lefty Chris Sale has gone at least seven innings in six of his 14 starts so far this season despite only lasting five innings in his only start against Baltimore on April 15. He'll be tasked with saving a Red Sox bullpen that has pitched 8.2 innings in the last two days in the middle of a 13-game stretch with no days off.

"Aces know where they're at as far as where the bullpen is," said manager Alex Cora. "Nothing changes with him. He always wants to go as deep as possible. Hopefully we can get that today."

Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel are likely unavailable after both pitching on back-to-back days, so Matt Barnes (who pitched an inning Tuesday) may get the nod late in a close game. Wednesday's matinee seems like a good fit for the Red Sox debut of Justin Haley, who was called up last Friday and has not yet appeared in a game. and Brian Johnson are likely available for Boston as well.

Sale will be opposed by righty Yefry Ramirez, who is making his major-league debut in place of injured O's starter Andrew Cashner. An ideal situation for Boston would be to score early and often against Ramirez, have Sale go six-plus innings and have Haley, a starter at Pawtucket, come in for multiple innings.

Brock Holt playing first base, Mookie Betts back in lineup vs. Orioles

Chris Cotillo

BALTIMORE -- Mookie Betts is back in the Red Sox lineup Wednesday as Boston goes for a three-game sweep against the league-worst Orioles. First pitch will be at 3:05 pm before the Sox head to Seattle for a four-game series with the surging Mariners.

Mitch Moreland gets the day off, with Brock Holt starting at first base. It's Holt's first start at first this season and his 14th start at the position in six years with the Red Sox.

Boston will face righty Yefry Ramirez (3-4, 4.33 ERA at Triple-A) in his major-league debut. Andrew Cashner was originally slated to start for the Orioles but was placed on the disabled list Tuesday.

Red Sox lineup:

1. Mookie Betts RF

2. Andrew Benintendi LF

3. Xander Bogaerts SS

4. J.D. Martinez DH

5. Rafael Devers 3B,

6. Eduardo Nunez 2B

7. Brock Holt 1B

8. Sandy Leon C

9. Jackie Bradley Jr.

Pitching matchup:

RHP Yefry Ramirez (0-0, 0.00 ERA - major-league debut) vs. LHP Chris Sale (5-4, 2.83 ERA)

New Boston Red Sox reliever Justin Haley happy to be back with club after Rule 5 adventure

Chris Cotillo

BALTIMORE -- If you had asked Justin Haley a year ago if he hoped he'd be on the Red Sox roster in a year's time, he would've almost certainly said no.

Haley, a right-hander who was called up from Pawtucket last week, has the rare distinction of being a pick who got a second chance with his old team. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2012, Haley was snagged (in a roundabout way) by the Twins in the 2016 Rule 5 draft and made 10 appearances in the majors last year before being returned to Boston in late July.

"It was one of those things where I hoped I never came back to the Red Sox," Haley said. "The Red Sox are a great organization and I'm happy to be here, but it was kind of a 'if it happens, it happens' kind of thing. And if not, great."

Haley had a great season in the minors in 2016, posting a 2.64 ERA in 130.1 innings split between Portland and Pawtucket before becoming Rule 5-eligible after the season. Boston decided not to protect him, opting to use 40-man spots elsewhere, leaving Haley as one of the top Rule 5 prospects available.

Haley went to the Angels with the eighth pick on the day, only to be traded to the Padres and later the Twins within an hour. After spending more than five years with one club, he had been a member of four on the same December day.

"I was on the phone with my agent, and then he was congratulating me on being picked [by the Angels]," Haley said. "Then he sent me a text, saying, 'hey, hold on, you might be going somewhere else.' I was on the phone with the Angels when the Twins were calling me, and the Padres were in there too. So we got to celebrate three different times."

Though Haley had been a starter throughout his career with Boston, he reported to spring training in familiar Fort Myers with a chance to make the Twins roster as a reliever.

Haley did so, meaning the Twins would have to keep him on the 25-man roster (or disabled list) for the entire season or they would have to offer the righty back to Boston. After logging a 6.00 ERA and 4.94 ERA in 18 innings for Minnesota in the first two months of the season, Haley was placed on the disabled list and eventually returned to the Red Sox when the Twins needed a roster spot on July 24.

"It was great and a lot of fun," Haley said. "I really appreciate the Twins for taking a chance on me. I was used in a lot of different spots-- mainly in big innings when they needed me to go clean things up for them. I had been a starter for my whole career, so going into the bullpen was a whole new experience for me. I think it's definitely going to help me this go-around with the Red Sox."

Haley has excelled in the 11 months since he's been back with the Red Sox organization, posting a 2.66 ERA in seven starts for Pawtucket last year and a 3.18 ERA in 11 starts this year. He attributes his success to sticking to his strengths and not trying to overdo things, while also being comfortable with a familiar organization in his second go-around.

"I'm just trying to be successful in the zone and get outs early to help me get deep into games as a starter or long relief guy, Haley said. "It was weird [going back to Pawtucket] but at the same time I was comfortable with everyone there. Everyone there understands that things happen."

When Jalen Beeks was optioned to Pawtucket after a spot start in the majors last week, the Sox made the somewhat surprising decision to bring up Haley despite having to use a 40-man roster spot to do so. After getting home from dinner last Thursday night with his wife and mother, who was in the middle her yearly the east coast once a year to see Haley pitch, Haley got the surprising call that he'd finally get the chance to appear in the big leagues for the Red Sox.

"It's a little bit different [than I expected]," Haley said. "I don't know if I ever had any grand expectations, just hopes that it would eventually happen. It has, and I'm thankful and excited to be here."

* The Lawrence Eagle Tribune

For Tyler Thornburg, the waiting is the hardest part

Chris Mason

BALTIMORE — Though he’s yet to throw a pitch with the Red Sox, and had no plans to against the Orioles, Tyler Thornburg’s jersey hung in a locker at Camden Yards.

The once elite setup man is working his way back from thoracic outlet surgery — a procedure so grueling that Thornburg needed a rib removed — and has been rehabbing in Triple A.

With three days off before his next minor league game, Thornburg leaped at the chance to join his Red Sox teammates on the road.

“I feel good,” Thornburg paused. “It’s hard to take it slow like we are. Especially... been out long enough.”

In December of 2016, Dave Dombrowski traded and a strong prospect named Mauricio Dubon to Milwaukee for Thornburg. While Shaw has blossomed into an All-Star caliber player from the Brewers, Thornburg is still waiting to take the mound at Fenway Park.

The right-hander’s shoulder started barking during his first spring training at JetBlue Park, and since having surgery, the Red Sox have exercised extreme caution with Thornburg’s recovery. Understandably so. “TOS” is an injury that derailed Matt Harvey’s career.

Taking the roadtrip to Baltimore gives Thornburg a chance to work under the eye of Brad Pearson and the rest of the Red Sox training staff.

It also gives him a reprieve from some of the isolation of being away.

“Just to be with the team, be with the trainers, it’s nice just getting your regular lifestyle back for a couple of days,” Thornburg said. “I have that at home, but it’s kind of tough when your team’s on the road and you go into Fenway for a couple hours, do your rehab, then all of the sudden you have the rest of the day to kind of think about things.

“It makes it tough mentally, physically, everything like that. So it’s just nice to get back into that regular.. the things that you miss.”

Sometimes injured players seem to disappear. Alex Cora echoed the importance of bringing Thornburg along.

“One thing I do like is for him to be around and see how we’re doing things,” Cora said. “That’s very important and as you guys know — “

Just then the manager was interrupted by a bizarre omen.

As Cora held court in the Red Sox dugout, the bullpen phone rang — loudly — and halted his media session.

“The bullpen is already calling,” Cora laughed. “We’re doing things differently so it’s good to have him around. It’s good for him to be around the training staff and for me to see him on a regular basis and see how he feels... to have him around is good. It’s always good.”

When the Red Sox flew to Seattle last night, Thornburg hopped on a plane to Lehigh Valley. He’ll pitch for the PawSox tonight, and if all goes well, he’ll be back on the mound Saturday.

The Sox are in the midst of a slow build. Thornburg threw three times last week and only allowed one baserunner. The final appearance was the most encouraging, though then it became the most frustrating, too.

“I threw two days rest, two days rest, then one day of rest,” Thornburg said. “The one I felt the best in was having the one day of rest and it was starting a day game. I felt good. Like I said, I think when you feel good you kind of want to rush things, but it is what it is.”

In Baltimore, it was just nice to feel a part of the team.

“Exactly,” Thornburg said. “It really is.”

Five Red Sox Takes: Mookie Betts looks himself again

Chris Mason

BALTIMORE — The home run race between J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts is back on.

Both sluggers went deep as the Red Sox cruised past the torpedoing Orioles, 5-1, to complete a three game sweep.

There were some fireworks, too, as Chris Sale was ejected after an afternoon of being squeezed in the strike zone.

Here are five takes from Camden Yards:

1. Mookie makes it happen

In his second game back from a two-week stint on the disabled list, Betts looked himself again.

The MVP candidate smacked a home run — his 12th in 33 games at Camden Yards — and wreaked havoc on the bases.

"Maybe it's just my place," Betts said of Baltimore.

He almost single-handedly manufactured the second Sox run of the game. After working a walk, Betts swiped second, advanced to third on a ball in the dirt, and scored easily on a sac fly.

2. Now that's an exit

Sale wasn't happy with home plate umpire Brian Knight and he let him know.

As Sale walked off the mound after being lifted in the seventh, he barked an obscenity at Knight, and the umpire promptly tossed him.

The Sox ace strode into his dugout, high-fived his teammates, and then came back to the top step to give Knight another earful. It was his second career ejection.

"Obviously I lost my cool a little bit. That’s going to happen," Sale said. "I like competing. I feel like getting something taken away from me, I get pretty emotional. At the end of the day we’re human, stuff is going to happen."

3. Sale's pitching was sharp, too

Sale threw six innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and striking out nine Orioles.

The lefty's velocity was encouraging. When he was over the 100 pitch mark, Sale was still hitting 99 mph on the radar gun. The ace was bringing it.

After a brief skid, Sale has been locked in lately.

4. J.D.'s HR is ridiculous

Mike Wright Jr. got ahead of J.D. Martinez 0-2 in the seventh, so the Orioles reliever threw a fastball up and out of the strike zone to see if Martinez would chase.

With a pitch to burn, what's the harm?

Shoulder high and 93 MPH, Wright hit his spot. Martinez still took it out of the yard, and to right field, no less. His opposite-field power is remarkable.

5. The Sox did their job

Baltimore is a bad, bad baseball team, but after losing a series to the White Sox over the weekend, the Red Sox needed to flex their muscles and beat up on them.

They did that. It wasn't always pretty, but the Sox completed the sweep.

"We had a bad series, we really did against Chicago," Sale said. "We’re not going to be perfect every time, but to bounce back after that, on the road, after something like that, I think it just shows who we are as a team and how we’re never going to give up."

Trying to make sense of Craig Kimbrel's struggles in non-save situations

Chris Mason

BALTIMORE — Craig Kimbrel has been a monster in save situations this season.

The Red Sox closer has converted 21 of 23 opportunities — he became the fastest ever to 300 earlier this year — and boasts a 0.537 WHIP with a save on the line. Opponents are hitting .108 against him and for every walk he surrenders, Kimbrel has struck out eight batters.

But in non-save situations, Kimbrel has been mediocre. Without a save hanging in the balance, Kimbrel has a 1.950 WHIP, opponents hit .296 against him, and his strikeout-to-walk rate shrinks to 2.00.

It's perplexing. Like some sort of switch isn't flipping. But throughout his career, he's always posted better numbers with a save on the line.

On Tuesday night, Alex Cora summoned Kimbrel for the ninth inning of a 6-2 game. In a non-save situation, Kimbrel gave up a two-run double, and allowed the tying run to come to the plate before escaping.

Is there any way to explain such harsh splits?

"I don’t know. I look at the gun and it doesn’t just seem like he’s working on mechanics or working on his pitches. He’s going full-out. I really don’t know," Cora said. "I’ve been around the game a lot and at the end of the day you have to get outs. He’s done it before for us. Yesterday he understood where we were. I don’t believe in it, honesty.

"It’s like, the game is 10-1, you have an at-bat, you’re not going to put your effort into that at-bat because the game game is 10-1? It’s still your numbers," Cora continued. "They’re proud. They have pride. They want to get people out the same way they want to hit him. You have good days and bad days. At the end of the day, he gave us the 27th out, which matters."

Cora was also quick to offer a reminder that Kimbrel didn't have a normal spring. Because his daughter, Lydia Joy, was born with a heart defect, Kimbrel spent weeks of spring training back in Boston caring for her.

"I don't know. We know his spring. We know what he's been going through," Cora said. "Like I said, I can't even imagine coming to work and have the job he has and also the stuff that goes on on a daily basis. And things are much better at home, which is great, but it's not that easy... for him it's been a lot different this year. I mean, I'm still going to give him the ball. He has what, 20, 21 saves? He's been great. I'm happy with the performance and I know he's going to keep getting better."

* RedSox.com

Behind Sale, HRs, Red Sox sweep Orioles

Jeff Seidel

BALTIMORE -- Chris Sale gave the Red Sox two things they needed -- he went deep into Wednesday's game with the Orioles and pitched well.

Sale went six-plus innings and gave up one run on two hits while Mookie Betts hit his first homer since returning from the disabled list as the Red Sox defeated the Orioles, 5-1, to sweep the three-game series at Camden Yards.

"I felt good, felt loose," Sale said. "I just feel like I've got some rhythm and tempo going right now. For me, when everything's kind of clicking and feeling good, that's the way I like it."

Manager Alex Cora said before the game that he was hoping Sale could eat up some innings to give the bullpen a rest, and the left-hander did just that. Brandon Workman pitched the seventh while Justin Haley finished the final two innings.

"Pretty good -- I know we tried to stretch him in the seventh," Cora said. "He gave us enough."

The left-hander ended a personal three-start losing streak and improved to 6-4. Sale struck out nine and walked four. Home-plate umpire Brian Knight tossed Sale as he left the game after Sale made remarks to Knight.

"Obviously, I lost my cool a little bit," Sale said. "I like competing. When I feel like I'm getting something taken away from me, I get pretty emotional. At the end of the day, hey, we're human and stuff's going to happen. It is what it is."

The Red Sox needed Sale to eat some innings as their bullpen was used a lot in the first two games at Baltimore -- 5 1/3 frames in the 12-inning opener and 3 1/3 innings in the second game.

Betts gave the Red Sox the lead for good with a solo homer, his 18th of the year, off Yefry Ramirez (0-1) in the third. It was career homer No. 12 for Betts at Camden Yards.

"I don't know; maybe this is just my place," Betts said.

Betts now has played twice since returning from the disabled list. He was out from May 26 until Monday and went 2-for-9 in the series with a number of good at-bats.

"I've done everything that I pretty much do, and I passed the test," Betts said. "Just trying to ride this wave."

The Red Sox added three more in the fifth -- a Xander Bogaerts sacrifice fly plus back-to-back RBI singles from Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nunez -- to give Sale a 4-0 lead.

J.D. Martinez made it 5-0 with a solo homer in the seventh as the Red Sox sent the Orioles to their seventh straight loss.

POWERING UP VS. THE O'S Betts has hit 15 career homers against the Orioles, and Martinez leads the team with 22 homers, having reached base in 21 straight games versus the Orioles. Martinez now has 13 career homers against the Orioles. More >

HE SAID IT "Our bullpen's worked their butts off this year, and we've leaned on them quite a bit. So if I do something stupid, maybe in the second, third or fourth inning, I've still got a job to do, and I try to push that to the wayside and deal with it later. I try to go out there and do my job and fill up innings and try to win a ballgame." -- Sale

UP NEXT David Price (7-4, 4.00) starts the series opener in Seattle on Thursday night. Price is 5-0 in his last six starts, and the Red Sox have won all six of those games. The Mariners counter with Felix Hernandez (6-5, 5.70) in a 10:10 p.m. ET matchup, the first of a four-game series.

Mookie, J.D. bolster impressive All-Star resumes

Jeff Seidel

BALTIMORE -- Mookie Betts hit his first homer since coming back from the disabled list in the third inning of Wednesday's series finale against the Orioles, which the Red Sox won, 5-1.

Betts belted a 3-2 pitch from rookie Yefry Ramirez, making his Major League debut, into the seats in right- center field to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. It was Betts' 12th career home run at Camden Yards. The right fielder now has 18 home runs this season.

"That was kind of the full range of his skills," Cora said of Betts' performance on the night. "The quality of the at-bats were incredible. For now playing for, what, two weeks, and being able to lay off some pitches in the edges of the strike zone. The guy's found it." A left abdominal strain sidelined Betts from May 26 until two days ago, but he's played in two of the three games in this series and said he feels fine.

J.D. Martinez added a solo homer off Mike Wright Jr. on an 0-2 pitch in the top of the seventh, and that gave the Red Sox a 5-0 lead. The pitch was 4.1 feet high, making it the second-highest pitch hit for a home run in the Major Leagues this season.

It was Martinez's 22nd home run of the season, placing him second behind Mike Trout (23).

Martinez now has reached base in 21 consecutive games against the Orioles.

Smith has season-ending shoulder surgery

Jeff Seidel

BALTIMORE -- Red Sox right-handed reliever Carson Smith underwent season-ending surgery on Wednesday in New York for a partial labrum tear and subluxation in his pitching shoulder. The procedure was performed by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

The injury occurred on a freak accident when Smith threw his glove in frustration after pitching against the A's on May 14. Smith missed most of the 2016 season and last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Red Sox obtained Smith in a 2015 trade with the Mariners, but he has pitched just 23 2/3 innings since that time. This season, Smith was 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in 18 relief appearances.

*WEEI.com

Meet one of the Red Sox' newest leaders, J.D. Martinez

Rob Bradford

BALTIMORE -- Remember all that leadership talk of a season ago?

David Ortiz had left. David Price's controversies dominated storylines. And Dustin Pedroia was left standing in front of his locker proclaiming "I'm standing right here," when questioned about the presence of leaders in the Red Sox' clubhouse.

Now, there has been a revelation in this respect.

J.D. Martinez has emerged as a legitimate leader just a few months into his tenure with the Red Sox.

"I’m not in here going ‘Rah, rah, rah! Let’s go guys. We lost today.’ That’s not me," Martinez told WEEI.com. "But as far as leadership, I like to share my information."

The reality of leadership in a baseball clubhouse is that it comes from all corners of the room. To think that you're going to slap a "C" on somebody's chest and expect the proper amount of motivational speeches isn't realistic. The direction should be heard from starting pitchers, bullpen guys, role players, and prominent position players. That's how it works.

But when it comes to the opportunity Martinez has come across to offer leadership from his corner of the world, it's been proven to be a pretty powerful dynamic. Almost every time hitting is discussed for any player on the Red Sox, the outfielder/designated hitter's name comes up. This isn't the norm. That's what makes the 30-year-old's presence so unique.

"It’s just something I do because I hate to see people struggling. It’s kind of one of those things where I say things when I see people struggling, people hurting," he said. "I like to share information. Certain guys beat their head against the wall, not knowing what to do. I just like to show them what I think and what I see great hitters do. I show it to them. It’s not my way, it’s everyone’s way that made me look at it that way."

For Martinez, it's part of his professional evolution, as well.

Even though he had established himself as a legitimate offensive threat in his years in Detroit, this piece of the equation wasn't an option. There were other guys to do that.

"It’s different, that’s for sure," he noted. "In Detroit, I had to shut up. I couldn’t really talk. I could say stuff, but there were a lot of veteran guys."

Then came his introduction to a much younger roster in Arizona last season. But even then, feeling empowered to pass along information and be a chief sounding board wasn't really a thing ... at least for a while.

"Goldy () was like, ‘Talk, bro. Say anything.’ So I started little by little," Martinez said.

Then he was dropped onto this Red Sox roster that had become surprisingly young. The elder statesman, Pedroia, was tending to his own comeback, and the only other position players who were born before Martinez were Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez is gone, and Moreland is a soft-spoken sort. That left the guy who had been sitting in the shadows behind Miguel Cabrera, and Victor Martinez all those years.

"Toward the end in Arizona is when I really started helping out more. When I came here it was one of those things that it came with the territory," Martinez said. "There was a lot of young guys who asked questions. And I like to talk hitting so I’m not going to shut up about it.

"I didn’t come in talking off the bat. I kind of felt the clubhouse out and if it’s needed … I don’t just talk to talk. If it’s needed, I’ll talk."

The talk has paid off, for both the Red Sox and one of their new leaders.

Red Sox 5, Orioles 1: Chris Sale ejected after being lifted for jawing at umpire

John Tomase

Chris Sale had had enough.

The Red Sox ace, removed from the game after his second walk to open the seventh inning, decided to voice his displeasure with home plate umpire Brian Knight on Wednesday afternoon.

To say the situation escalated quickly would be an understatement. Sale shared a few choice words for Knight while leaving the field and was immediately ejected, prompting another round of shouts from Sale before he descended the dugout steps and left for the afternoon.

At that point, Sale's work was done. He allowed two hits and struck out nine over six-plus shutout innings in Boston's 5-1 win over the Orioles to complete a three-game sweep at Camden Yards.

Sale believed he had been squeezed on a number of calls, none more than 79 mph off-speed pitch to Craig Gentry that officially ended his afternoon. Replays showed the pitch slightly off the plate, but after being squeezed on prior pitches -- including ball four in the fourth to load the bases -- Sale let loose and Knight tossed him almost immediately.

That meant Sale departed under less-than-ideal circumstances, but it didn't change his effort in Boston's ninth victory against the Orioles in 10 tries. He walked a season-high four -- which probably played into his frustration with Knight -- but was basically untouchable otherwise.

The Red Sox received all of the offense they'd need off the bats of their two star sluggers, with Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez blasting their 18th and 22nd homers of the season, respectively.

Other offensive stars included Andrew Benintendi, Brock Holt, and Eduard Nunez, who recorded two hits apiece. Benintendi's two hits raised his average over .300, to .302.

*NBCSportsBoston.com

Red Sox take no guff, with Chris Sale the latest example

Evan Drellich

BALTIMORE -- The Sox have just enough screws loose to keep everyone on their toes: opponents, fans and umpires alike.

Fire and fight can be as overwrought in baseball as grit and guts. But attitude is worth something to a group of competitors, even if we can’t pinpoint how much. And there’s definitely entertainment value for the onlookers when the attitude is demonstrative.

Chris Sale, ejected once in his career prior to Wednesday’s sweep finisher at Camden Yards, berated home- plate umpire Brian Knight before leaving the game in the seventh inning of a 5-1 win. And Sale, such a cool presence normally, just unloaded. It was quick but vicious, the verbal embodiment of his pitching.

He didn’t like the strike zone. Regrets? Nah.

“Stuff happens, man. I mean, I’m not big on apologies or going back on things I’ve done,” Sale said. “It happened, you know? Is what it is. We’ll move forward.”

Joe Kelly, a skinny dude, tells an angry Yankees first baseman to come out to the mound. So does, and they throw down. (They’re still wearing Joe Kelly Fight Club shirts in the Sox clubhouse, by the way. And Kelly’s got his “Al Horford is Good” T-shirt moment, too.)

Rick Porcello appears to dislike Russell Martin calling time, hits Russell Martin.

David Price, after all he’s been through in his time in Boston, still has it in him to outwardly mock the way he’s portrayed by some in the media and fans. Right or wrong, he certainly isn’t meek.

Carson Smith suggests that he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in part because of overuse, and Alex Cora shuts that down instantly, with enough dismissiveness to effectively belittle Smith and establish Cora’s authority.

Sale’s the guy that threw behind Manny Machado last year and stood stone-faced afterward in front of the media and said he wasn’t going to lose any sleep, while Machado, unnerved, went on an epic rant.

Porcello and Price throughout their careers have been far from timid, and that includes their time in Boston. So the collective attitude isn’t exactly new. But the difference between this year and last for the Sox seems to be a concentration of their energies in the same place, in the same direction. Add in the fact the Sox are 13-3 on getaway days — maybe they just like the joys of travel? — and they seem keen on having the final say.

Stuff happens, as Sale said. They’re making you wonder what will happen next, for the better.

Sale ejected as he leaves strong start

Evan Drellich

BALTIMORE — Chris Sale always brings the heat.

Sale let home-plate umpire Brian Knight have it at Camden Yards on Wednesday afternoon over an apparent disagreement about the strike zone, earning the Red Sox lefty the second ejection of his career.

Technically, Sale’s day was finished anyway after walking the first two batters in the seventh inning, a small blemish on a fine performance. That’s when Sale took the opportunity to let Knight know just how he felt. Sale pointed at Knight and yelled as he crossed the foul line before getting some more words in from the dugout. A magic four-letter word or two was used.

Sale allowed the Orioles just two hits and one run with nine strikeouts and an abnormally high four walks. His effort was key for the Sox on a day the bullpen.

The league sometimes issues punishment in these situations. Typically, though, the league is not heavy- handed because of a deference to the emotions and sense of competitiveness players have. The question will be whether Sale crossed any line. MLB typically wouldn’t announce a fine but would announce something stronger, i.e. a suspension — but there's no way a suspension is merited in this case.

The only other time Sale was ejected was in 2015, when he was with the White Sox. The White Sox and Royals got into a fight and Sale tried to get into the Royals clubhouse after that game.

*BostonSportsJournal.com

After stumbling last weekend, Red Sox resume winning ones they should

Sean McAdam

BALTIMORE — Given that they have more wins than any team in the game, there haven’t been a lot of valleys to the Red Sox’ season. But last weekend at Fenway qualified as perhaps a low point.

The Red Sox somehow figured out a way to drop two out of three games to the god-awful , with their bats suddenly silenced.

But at Camden Yards, the Red Sox made sure not to make the same mistake twice.

If the White Sox qualify as poor, then the Baltimore Orioles are truly an abomination. Entering Wednesday, they were the only team in either league with a winning percentage under .300, having lost their last six in a row and 13-of-15. Worse, the Orioles had to dip into their minor league system at the 11th hour to find a starting pitcher after scheduled starter Andrew Cashner was scratched with a back injury, pitting Yefry Ramirez against Chris Sale.

“What do you suppose the betting line is in Vegas for this one?” wondered an Orioles official minutes before first pitch.

The Red Sox then went out and did what they needed to do: demonstrate no mercy, pin another loss on the hapless O’s and leave town with a 5-1 win and a series sweep.

There are no prizes for beating up on baseball’s worst team. It’s what the Red Sox are supposed to do. But as recently as a few days ago, they lost a series to a team nearly as bad, a reminder that, even when the schedule-maker delivers you a gift, you still have to earn your wins.

Lesson learned.

The first two wins of the series weren’t pretty. It took 12 innings for the Sox to push a run across Monday night, and when it did, it came with a sacrifice fly. And Tuesday, all that was missing was some fancy wrapping paper and a nice big bow, as the Orioles walked home one run and balked in another.

Still, the Red Sox successfully stepped on the home team’s throat Wednesday afternoon. No mercy.

“When you’re going into the last day of a series and you’ve won the one, two or three games before that,” said Sale, “sweeps are big. They really are. Everybody likes to talk about games at the end of the year, August and September, all that stuff, but the games right now count just as much. So anytime you can sweep a team — especially at the start of a long road trip — it’s a boost of energy for us.

“We had a bad series, we really did, against Chicago. There’s no really no other way to put it. We just didn’t get the job done. To bounce back after that, come in here, get a sweep…it’s nice. The White Sox series didn’t define us as a team. We just kind of had an off series. It’s going to happen. We’re not going to be perfect every time. But to bounce back after that, on the road, after something like that, I think it shows who we are as a team.”

Major League Baseball, more than ever before, has become stratified. Except for maybe two or three teams flirting with the .500 mark, there’s a handful of really good teams and another bunch acting as bottom feeders, neither invested nor interested in winning. For the elite teams, the trick is to leave as few wins against the dregs of the league on the table as possible.

Beat them up, bank the wins and move on.

Except for a four-day stretch on the last homestand — a loss to Detroit in the final game of that series included — the Sox have done well to take full advantage. They’re 3-1 against last-place Texas, 2-1 against Kansas City and Detroit, 7-2 against Toronto, 9-4 against Tampa Bay and 9-1 against Baltimore.

Add in the slip-up against the White Sox, and that results in a .734 winning percentage against teams with a losing record heading into Wednesday’s action.

When life gives you lemons, goes the saying, make lemonade.

And when the baseball gods give you lemons on the schedule, squeeze every win out of them that you can.

That’s what the Red Sox did over the last few days here, which was not only advisable but necessary. Starting Thursday, 16 of the next 19 games are against playoff contenders.

Playtime is over, but the Sox had their fun while they could.

BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 5, Orioles 1 – Sale, two homers allow Sox to complete sweep

Sean McAdam

HEADLINES

Sale explodes in frustration … and won’t back down: In Chris Sale’s estimation — and that of many others — home plate umpire Brian Knight had a poor day behind the plate. Looking at some pitch/FX diagrams, it appeared Knight missed four or five pitches with Sale, and the Red Sox’ lefty let him know about it as he left the mound in the seventh, then came back to the top step of the dugout later to make sure he got his point across. And Sale wasn’t exactly contrite afterward. “I like to compete and when I have something taken away from me, I get pretty emotional,” said Sale. “Stuff happens, man. I’m not big on apologies or going back on things I’ve done. It happened. It is what it is. We’ll move forward.” The larger point was Sale’s performance, which, other than some shaky command at times (four walks, tying a season high), was vintage Sale, with one run allowed over six with nine strikeouts.

Mookie picks up where he left off: In his second game back after missing just over two weeks with a left abdominal strain, Mookie Betts showed he hasn’t lost his touch at the plate, homering to center in his second at-bat and later working a walk, alertly moving up a base on a dirt ball and scoring on a sacrifice fly. “Yes and no,” said Betts, when asked if he had surprised himself by hitting well despite not having the benefit of a rehab assignment. “I have put in some work, as far as tracking pitches and what-not, trying to stay as close to game-ready as I can. But going out and putting up some good swings is definitely something that I’m proud of.” Freed of any worry that he might aggravate the injury, Betts appears on intent on picking up right where he left off before he was sidelined. “The quality of the at-bats has been incredible,” said Alex Cora.

JBJ struggles, but Cora backs slumping outfielder: The box score wasn’t pretty for Jackie Bradley Jr.: 0- for-4 with a strikeout. In fact, the last week hasn’t been good — with the sole exception of a home run on Saturday at Fenway — as Bradley is hitless in his last 17 at-bats and has seen his average dip back to .181. But Bradley did hit the ball hard twice Wednesday — lining out to center in the third and lining out to first in the ninth — and Cora sees that as positive. “Everybody looks at Jackie’s stretch,” said Cora, “but the people who are watching the game (can see) he’s getting close. He hit two missiles today, (Tuesday) the same thing. It looks like he’s catching up to the fastball and being very disciplined. He’s in a good spot. After the game, I told him, ‘Don’t change a thing – stay right there.’ I know it’s frustrating sometimes. He hits another bullet right at somebody and I don’t even know what to say anymore, because I’ve been in that spot. But if he stays with the process, he’ll be fine.”

SECOND GUESS

Even though Chris Sale will have the benefit of an extra day of rest before he makes his next start, Tuesday in Minnesota, the Red Sox might have done well to end his day after six innings and 96 pitches. The Sox had a 5-0 lead at the time and even with an overworked bullpen, clearly had enough relievers to get the final nine outs. Instead, Sale went out and labored through 13 pitches, walking both batters he faced, before coming out of the game. If the Sox are truly interested in preserving Sale for the fall, they should take every advantage to curtail his workload; on Wednesday, they missed a chance to do that.

TWO UP

Justin Haley: Haley made his Red Sox debut in mopping up the final two innings and helped save the rest of the bullpen with two scoreless frames.

Andrew Benintendi: In five plate appearances, Benintendi reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Then again, that was nothing new as he reached base 10 times in 15 plate appearances.

ONE DOWN

Xander Bogaerts; The Red Sox shortstop had a long afternoon, going hitless in four at-bats, including a strikeout and a double play. He stranded two baserunners, though he did contribute a sacrifice fly in the three-run fifth.

QUOTE OF NOTE:

“Maybe it’s just my place.” — Mookie Betts, attempting to explain his success at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

The sweep by the Red Sox was their sixth of the season and third on the road.

Boston is now 9-1 against the Orioles and 28-10 in the A.L. East.

Rafael Devers extended his hitting streak to eight games.

J.D. Martinez has five homers in 10 games against the Orioles this season.

Brock Holt made his first start at first base this season.

Sale posted his 10th quality start of the season.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox begin a four-game series at Safeco Field Thursday night at 10:05 with LHP David Price (7-4, 4.00) vs RHP Felix Hernandez (6-5, 5.70)

*The Athletic

Usually set to simmer, Chris Sale lets his emotions boil over

Jen McCaffrey

BALTIMORE – Chris Sale usually channels his emotions well on the mound.

For six innings on Wednesday in Baltimore he maintained his composure despite a few suspect calls from home plate umpire Brian Knight.

But after two straight walks to lead off the seventh inning pushed his pitch count past 100, manager Alex Cora came to the mound to remove Sale from the game.

The lefty exited to a hearty cheer from the large contingent of Red Sox fans. Sale took the opportunity to let his voice be heard. As he crossed the foul line, he looked back toward Knight and unleashed a tirade of curse words at the umpire.

He was immediately ejected. The crowd cheered even louder. “I didn’t see it. I heard it,” Cora said. “I was talking to the guys on the mound and they were like ‘Oh! He just got ejected.’ I went down there and asked what happened and just let him know how we felt about the strike zone. But it is what it is.”

Sale’s intensity is nothing new. Even after tremendous starts, he finds mistakes he’s made and areas where he can improve. He keeps himself accountable.

The ejection marked just the second of his career. The first came in a start on April 23, 2015 while he was still with the White Sox.

“Stuff happens man,” he said after a 5-1 Red Sox win that saw Sale improve his record to 6-4. “I mean I’m not big on apologies or going back on things I’ve done. It happened, you know? Is what it is. We’ll move forward.”

The most questionable call Knight made came in the third inning with Joey Rickard at the plate. Sale fired an 0-1 fastball that looked to be down the middle and Knight called it a ball. Sale, incredulous, stared in at the umpire, went back to the mound and then stepped off the back of the mound for a few words with second base umpired .

Lentz was positioned right behind Sale when the call was made. Sale took a deep breath, proceeded with the at-bat and came back to strike out Rickard, one of his nine strikeouts on the day.

There were at least three other borderline pitches called balls over Sale’s six innings. He finished with four walks, tying his season high.

Sale kept his composure for the remainder of his stint on the mound, knowing the bullpen was thin and the team needed him to rack up innings before a long series against a tough Seattle team.

But as soon as he exited the game, he made known his displeasure.

“The bullpen has worked their butts off this year. We’ve leaned on them quite a bit,” he said. “If you do something stupid in the second, third or fourth inning, I still have a job to do. I try to push that to the wayside and deal with it later. I try to go out there, do my job, fill up innings and try to win a ballgame.”

The most famous outburst of Sale’s career didn’t even involve an ejection. It came in Chicago in 2016 and made national headlines when Sale cut up the White Sox’ throwback jerseys because he didn’t want to wear them. He was sent home and subsequently suspended by the team for five games. He later called the incident a mistake and learning experience.

By and large, though, Sale has been able to channel that fiery emotion into high-speed pitches rather than outbursts.

“It happens,” he said of the ejection. “There are going to be points in the season, points in the game where stuff happens. No one is perfect. Obviously I lost my cool a little bit. That’s going to happen too. I like competing. I feel like getting something taken away from me, I get pretty emotional. At the end of the day we’re human, stuff is going to happen.”

* Associated Press

Sale dominant before ejection, and Red Sox beat Orioles 5-1

BALTIMORE -- Chris Sale was headed out of the game anyway, so it didn't matter if he received an ejection on his way to the dugout.

The important thing was that Sale was dominant through six innings, and the Boston Red Sox rode his performance to a 5-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

After issuing two walks to open the seventh in a 5-0 game, Sale (6-4) was lifted by manager Alex Cora. As he was making his way to the dugout, the left-hander yelled at home plate umpire Brian Knight and was promptly ejected .

"There are going to be points in the season, points in the game where stuff happens," Sale said. "No one's perfect. Obviously I lost my cool a little bit. That's going to happen, too."

It was the second career ejection for Sale, the other coming in April 2015 when he was with the White Sox.

"I like competing. When I feel like I'm getting something taken away from me, I get emotional," Sale said. "At the end of the day, hey, we're human, stuff is going to happen."

Sale struck out nine, allowed one run and gave up two hits in ending a run of three straight losing starts.

Baltimore has lost seven straight and 14 of 16. The last time the Orioles scored more than five runs in a game was May 24, and it sure wasn't going to happen against Sale.

"It's a bad combination, we're not swinging the bat well and facing as good a pitcher as him," manager Buck Showalter conceded.

Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez homered for the Red Sox, who are 9-1 against the Orioles this season.

Betts, the major league leader in batting average, came off the disabled list Monday after missing 14 games with an abdominal strain. He played Monday, was rested Tuesday and returned to the top of the lineup in the series finale.

Betts hit a 3-2 pitch from Yefry Ramirez over the center-field wall in the third for his 18th home run .

"The quality of his at-bats are incredible for not playing, what, two weeks?" Cora said. "I mean, the guy's talented."

A three-run fifth made it 4-0, and Martinez hit his team-leading 22nd homer in the seventh.

After placing Andrew Cashner (back) on the disabled list Tuesday, the Orioles recalled Ramirez from Triple-A Norfolk to make his major league debut. The 24-year-old left with the score 1-0 in the fifth, but Mike Wright allowed both inherited runners to score.

Ramirez had no complaints.

"I felt awesome, excited, happy to be here," he said. "It's been an opportunity that I've been waiting for 12 years. Now, it's finally here."

Ramirez (0-1) gave up three runs and four hits over 4 1/3 innings, striking out six.

Baltimore got its lone run in the seventh, when Jace Peterson hit a sacrifice fly soon after Sale departed.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: Cora said LHP Drew Pomeranz's neck is sore and that the club would not plan for his return until after a weekend series in Seattle. Pomeranz originally went on the DL on June 5 with biceps tendinitis. ... 2B Dustin Pedroia (left knee) has been doing some weight lifting but is staying away from baseball activities for now, Cora said.

Orioles: Orioles reliever Richard Bleier, one of the better performers on a ragged team, clutched his shoulder after throwing a pitch in the eighth inning and was immediately removed from the game. Asked for a prognosis, Bleier said, "I have no idea. I don't feel great right now." Bleier is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA over 31 appearances. ... IF Tim Beckham (core muscle surgery) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie on Friday, Showalter said.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP David Price (7-4, 4.00 ERA) seeks his sixth straight win when Boston faces Mariners ace Felix Hernandez in the opener of a four-game series at Seattle.

Orioles: After taking Thursday off, Baltimore opens a three-game series against the visiting Miami Marlins in a matchup of last-place clubs.

Jury clears Red Sox in suit brought by woman hurt by foul ball

BOSTON -- A jury has ruled in favor of the Boston Red Sox in a lawsuit brought by a woman who says she sustained severe facial injuries when she was struck by a foul ball at Fenway Park.

The jury Wednesday found that the team and principal owner John Henry were not negligent.

Stephanie Taubin, of Brookline, sued for $9.5 million, saying she suffered facial fractures and neurological damage from a foul ball in June 2014 while sitting in luxury seats above and behind home plate unprotected by glass or netting.

A spokesman says while the Red Sox "regret the injury" to Taubin "we are pleased with today's outcome."

Taubin's attorney says he's disappointed. He says his client was paying attention, but the ball moved so fast she could not avoid it.

*The Baltimore Sun

Ramirez betrayed by 'pen, poor run support in strong debut in 5-1 loss to Red Sox; slide hits 7 games

Jon Meoli

Orioles debutante Yefry Ramirez probably deserved better than the loss he took and the three runs on his account from his first big league start Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox.

But if he remains with the club for long past its 5-1 loss — which clinched the Orioles’ third seven-game losing streak and dropped them to 19-48 — he'll learn that life in this rotation can provide plenty of challenges that just pitching well doesn't solve.

Mookie Betts homered to center field with one out in the third inning, and both of the fifth-inning walks Ramirez issued ended up scoring off reliever Mike Wright Jr., but Ramirez otherwise avoided trouble, striking out six and coaxing plenty of weak contact from Boston's eager hitters.

“I thought he held his own, for the most part,” manager Buck Showalter said. “He gave us a chance.”

He was about the only one. His offense managed just four hits as his opposite, Chris Sale, had no trouble carving through the Orioles lineup.

Ramirez looked as though he'd be able to stay in stride with him for the first four innings, mostly thanks to a changeup that Red Sox batters couldn't pick up. He navigated most of his minor league career with success thanks to a changeup that many thought was a major league caliber pitch. His debut showed that at least on this day, it lived up to that billing.

Five of those strikeouts came on his changeup, which at one point topped out at 87 mph, and the pitch overall accounted for seven of the 13 outs he recorded before giving way to Wright. His 91-94-mph fastball, while not exactly expertly commanded, was also effective, jumping on hitters and causing plenty of lazy fly balls.

“I was proud of him,” Showalter said. “Tough lineup, and he competed, and didn’t implode and start walking a bunch of people. You can see the makings of some out pitches, and you can see why he’s won a lot of baseball games in his minor league career. I’m glad he got the opportunity.”

Ramirez, through interpreter Ramón Alarcón, said: “I definitely felt a little bit nervous when I was told I was opening. After the game [started], after a few pitches, after a few innings, I tried to settle down and calm my nerves and just try to concentrate on the same things I was able to do in Triple-A, to try to do it over here.”

That the Orioles made two errors and Ramirez hit a batter probably cut short his outing more than he'd want, and the final line of three runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and two walks betrays how Ramirez fared for most of the day. He acknowledged tiring down the stretch.

“I think there was some fatigue to it as well,” Ramirez said. “I think at that point, I was trying to do too much and things weren't working — a combination of those two things.”

He stranded a runner in each of his four innings, and his six strikeouts were the most by a debuting Orioles pitcher since Wright fanned six on May 17, 2015.

But he would have had to be perfect to overcome the lack of support the Orioles offense gave against Sale, who was ejected in the seventh inning, and the dregs of the Boston bullpen, scraping across a run on a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly by Jace Peterson in the seventh inning and managing just four hits on the day.

Wright allowed a pair of his own runs in 2 2/3 innings, and after Richard Bleier left with an injury after recording the final out of the sixth and first out of the seventh, and Mychal Givens finished it out for the Orioles, who have dropped 14 of their past 16 games.