BOSTON – Cedric Mullins hit two home runs and scored three runs, Albert Suárez allowed one run and had a career-high eight strikeouts in six innings and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Adley Rutschman hit a two-run single for the Orioles, who won for just the second time in six games and are trying to catch AL East leader New York. They moved within a half point after the Yankees were beaten 5-0 by Kansas City on Tuesday.
“I think last time I threw a lot of fastballs. This time I worked more with the breaking ball,” said Suárez, who also beat the Red Sox just over three weeks ago. “They were probably trying to get the fastball and I think that worked today.”
Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida each had an RBI double for Boston, which has lost seven of its last 11 games as it battles Minnesota for the AL’s third wild-card spot. The Red Sox were four games behind the Twins, who beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-5 on Monday.
“At one point, we were the best offense in baseball. Anytime we faced a right-handed hitter, we felt like we had a good chance to score,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We haven’t been able to do that in the last month, month and a half. When we were going well, everyone was hitting the ball everywhere. It’s just that everyone is struggling at the same time.”
Boston’s Tyler O’Neill hit 0 Fox 3 with three strikeouts after hitting two home runs in a win on Monday.
Gunnar Henderson was on first base after a walk in the third inning, but Mullins hit a cutter by Kutter Crawford (8-14) deep into the right-field seats to make it 3-0. It was his fifth career multi-home run game, the last being on June 19, 2021 against Toronto.
After his second-worst start of the season last Wednesday, when he allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings against the White Sox, the 34-year-old Suárez (8-5) allowed four hits and two walks.
“Really good changeups. That’s what was needed with this lineup of left-handed hitters,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “With a team he had played against not too long ago and pitched really well, you knew they were going to make adjustments.”
Seranthony Domínguez made the final three outs for his tenth save.
Casas’ double against the Green Monster cut the score to 3-1 in the fourth inning. It was Boston’s first run against Suárez this season after holding her scoreless through six innings at Camden Yards on August 18.
Yoshida hit a double against Yennier Cano in the eighth inning and Cano prevented a run, making the score 5-3.
Crawford lost his fifth straight start, allowing three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and one walk. In the five starts, the Red Sox scored two runs when he was in the game.
Mullins’ first home run flew around the Pesky Pole in the first inning. Right fielder Wilyer Abreu looked to have an easy time catching the ball as it headed toward the wall, but he just kept drifting until the ball finally landed in the seats. Estimated hit of just 334 feet.
“I’m not surprised by the Pesky Pole out there,” Mullins said. “I was able to get one to hook, the second one was flusher. Two in one day is pretty good.”
Abreu made a nice running catch to end the inning before going down in the sixth inning.
TRAINING ROOM
Orioles: INF Jordan Westburg (broken right hand) thought he could start batting practice “soon.” Before the game, he said in the locker room: “I’m happy with the progress. In the last few days, I feel like I’ve made a little leap forward in terms of strength. I can grip some weights better now.”
Red Sox: Casas was back in the lineup after Cora benched the left-hander in favor of a left-handed starting pitcher.
Next
RHP Dean Kremer (7-9, 4.27 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale for the Orioles against Red Sox RHP Nick Pivetta (5-10, 4.38).
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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/mlb
