Rutschman hits 2 homers, benches clear as Red Sox beat Orioles
Adley Rutschman hit 2 homers in his return to Camden Yards, and benches cleared the following night, leaving the Orioles 1-4 in their last 5 games with an elimination number of 6.
Blaze Alexander's 3 hits go to waste twice
The Orioles dropped both ends of their weekend set with Boston at Camden Yards, falling 6-5 on September 3 and 1-0 on September 4, and the two losses left them 1-4 in their last 5 games. In the finale, Shane Baz held Baltimore's lineup to 4 hits and 1 earned run over 6.1 innings, with Josh Walker following for a scoreless inning of relief. Blaze Alexander went 3-for-4 in that game, but the Orioles couldn't turn it into a single run.
Red Sox5-6Red Sox0-1The back-to-back defeats left Baltimore at 69-73 on the season, 3.0 games back of the final AL wild-card spot with an elimination number of 6.
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Rutschman's return, then benches clear over Alexander
Adley Rutschman's first game back at Camden Yards since being traded to Boston drew a standing ovation from Orioles fans, and Barstool Bush covered it in "Adley Rutschman Hits Two Homers In First Game Back At Camden Yards," on the pair of home runs he hit off his old team as the Red Sox won 6-5 on September 3. Per Ian Browne, Red Sox catcher Narvaez stepped out of the batter's box to give the crowd extra time to cheer before that first at-bat.
The good will didn't survive the next night. Foul Territory reported that benches cleared on September 4 after Luis Robert Jr.'s inning-ending double play in the eighth, and Jomboy Media noted the Red Sox couldn't figure out why Orioles outfielder Blaze Alexander was mad. Barstool's own @StoolBaseball flagged the scrum with video, writing simply, "BENCHES CLEAR IN BALTIMORE."
Upcoming
Tonight, the Orioles host the Red Sox, with Sonny Gray (16-4, 2.82 ERA) on the mound for Boston against Chris Bassitt (6-4, 4.97 ERA) for Baltimore. Gray took the loss in his last start, August 26 against Miami, allowing 2 earned runs on 7 hits over 5 innings with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk. Bassitt got the win in his last outing, August 30 at Oakland, despite allowing 5 earned runs over 5.2 innings on 8 hits, with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks.
Boston is favored, and the total reads as middling for a matchup between one of the league's better starters and one who has leaned on his offense in each of his last two turns. For the total to hold as billed, Baltimore's lineup will need to do more against Gray than it managed in Thursday's 1-0 loss.