After the Fifth, Boston Couldn't Get a Runner in Scoring Position, And Red Sox Fans Have No Answer

What a night, fam! Our M's just scratched out a 3-2 W against the Mets at home, thank the baseball gods! But hey, while we're riding that high, gotta peek around the league. And let me tell ya, down in Boston, the Red Sox faithful are probably pulling their hair out. The visiting Baltimore Orioles snatched a 4-2 victory at Fenway last night, powered by serious dingers and a pitching performance that left Boston scratching their heads after the fifth. Seriously, after scoring early, their bats went totally silent, unable to even put a runner in scoring position for the rest of the game.

Back-to-Back Blasts That Flipped the Script

Talk about an immediate response! The Red Sox jumped ahead 1-0 in the first after Jarren Duran tripled and Wilyer Abreu hit a sac fly. But that lead? Gone faster than a hot dog at T-Mobile Park. Baltimore's Coby Mayo wasn't playing around, barely clearing the Green Monster in left for a game-tying solo homer in the second. Then, BOOM! Pete Alonso, who went 2-for-4, followed in the third with a line-drive, two-run shot right after Adley Rutschman singled up the middle. Just like that, the Orioles had flipped the score. They weren't done! They kept adding on in the fourth: Tyler O'Neill singled, stole second, then Leody Taveras bunted him to third. Blaze Alexander's sac fly to right made it a 4-1 game. That's all the offense they needed, clutch stuff on the road.

Shane Baz's Shutdown and Boston's Silent Bats

But hey, the real story here for the home team was their inability to do anything against Shane Baz and the Orioles bullpen. Baz, who came in with a 3-5 record, looked like a whole new pitcher. He punched out six batters across seven innings, giving up only two runs on four hits. The Red Sox did get one back in the fifth when Mickey Gasper singled and Marcelo Mayer drove him in with a sac fly, pulling them within 4-2. But Baz was clutch, stranding Caleb Durbin on second to escape further damage. After that fifth inning, it was a graveyard for Boston's hitters. They did not put a runner in scoring position against Baz, Andrew Kittredge, or Rico Garcia. Garcia fanned two of the three batters he faced to lock down his fourth save. Boston's starter, Connelly Early, took the loss, his first since May 2, giving up four runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out six. You gotta tip your cap to Baz for shutting down Fenway like that when the Red Sox needed bats to come alive. So, while our Mariners are grinding through early April, fighting for every single win, it's a reminder that every team faces these tests. The Orioles showed they can get clutch hits and shut down a lineup when it matters. For the Red Sox, though, this one's gotta sting. Going silent for the final four innings, especially at home? That's the kind of early season trend that can mess with a team's confidence. We'll be watching to see how these AL teams adjust, but for now, let's keep riding that M's momentum, fam! Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.