BOSTON (AP) — Colton Cowser drove in four runs, Corbin Burnes allowed two hits over seven innings and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Red Sox 7-1 on Tuesday in Boston’s home opener.
Cowser had a pair of RBI doubles, the second driving in two runs in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie. He added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to help the Orioles stop a two-game skid.
Burnes (2-0) struck out six and walked two, giving up Tyler O’Neill’s sixth homer of the season in the first inning. O’Neill began the season by homering for his fifth straight opening day, a major league record.
“He hung a breaking ball to O’Neill, but besides that — two hits through seven innings — total command in a tight game,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Punched out a bunch. That’s No. 1 starter stuff right there.”
Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins added RBI singles for the Orioles.
Baltimore finished with 13 hits and scored its first four runs with two outs. The Orioles were 8 for 15 with runners in scoring position and their pitchers retired Boston’s final 18 batters. Baltimore managed 10 hits in dropping the final two games of its prior series against Pittsburgh.
“We haven’t really been able to string a lot of quality at-bats in a row. Today we were able to kind of move that train a little bit,” Cowser said.
Brayan Bello (1-1) was charged with three runs —- one earned —- and four hits over 5 1/3 innings for Boston, which opened with a 7-3 West Coast trip. Left fielder Jarren Duran dropped an easy popup by Mullins with two outs in the fourth, and Cowser followed with his two-run double. Cowser hit his other RBI double in the second.
“If I make that play, we get out of the inning and then none of the other things happen,” Duran said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: SS Trevor Story will have what is likely season-ending surgery on his dislocated left shoulder and RHP Nick Pivetta has a strained a right flexor, the latest in a spate of elbow injuries among pitchers. Story was placed on the 10-day injured list after dislocating his left shoulder Friday at the Los Angeles Angels. Projected recovery time is six months. Pivetta was placed on the 15-day IL, a move retroactive to Saturday. The plan is to “platoon” players at shortstop and second base with Story out. Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton will see time at shortstop and Emmanuel Valdez and Pablo Reyes will split the duties at second.
UP NEXT
The Orioles will start LHP Cole Irvin (0-1, 7.20 ERA) on Wednesday. Kutter Crawford (0-0, 0.84) moves up his start a day for Boston.
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