Tempers started to poke through late in Boston’s 1-0 win over Baltimore on Friday night, and that edge could carry into Saturday’s rematch between the Red Sox and Orioles.
The Red Sox are trying to string together a third straight victory, while Baltimore is simply looking to stop the bleeding after dropping four in a row. Boston has now taken the first two games of the series, and both have been decided by one run.
Friday’s finish had enough friction to match the stakes. The flash point came after Baltimore’s Blaze Alexander, on the bases, slid into the bag as Boston turned an eighth-inning double play. That’s when things began to get testy.
“It’s a competitive game,” Sogard said. “He slid in pretty hard.
I didn’t have a problem with his slide, but we turned the double play. I was just looking back to see how far he went.
I don’t know if he liked me looking back. But that was pretty much it.”
Alexander, though, brushed off the idea that there was much to it.
“I don’t know why they’re upset,” Alexander said. “I didn’t touch him.
There was more contact on the play (Thursday) night. And that’s it.”
Boston enters at 77-65, with back-to-back wins helping a bit after a rough stretch, but the club has still won only four of its last 10. Baltimore sits at 69-73 and has stumbled through the first two games of the homestand.
Craig Albernaz didn’t hide the frustration after another loss, but he also pointed to the fact that the Orioles still have time to respond.
“It’s always disappointing to lose four in a row, especially right now at this point in the season where we’re at,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “Yeah, it’s hard, and we’ve done it to ourselves. We’re here, and there’s a game tomorrow and we still have a chance, a good chance to kind of keep this thing going.”
Baltimore had a real chance Friday, especially with Shane Baz dealing for most of the night. But a first-inning pitch that turned into Mickey Gasper’s home run ended up being the difference, and Baz worked all the way into the seventh.
“He knew where the bullpen was at and he felt good enough to go back out there,” Albernaz said of the importance of allowing the team’s relievers to mostly regroup. “It was an outstanding outing from Shane. We couldn’t get anything going off of (Boston starter Ranger) Suarez.”
Saturday’s pitching matchup gives Boston Sonny Gray (16-4, 2.82 ERA), who is tied with Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez for the major league lead in wins. Gray last pitched Aug. 26 in Miami, where he took a loss after allowing two runs in five innings. He has not faced Baltimore this season, and in 15 career starts against the Orioles he is 7-6 with a 4.37 ERA.
The Orioles will counter with right-hander Chris Bassitt (6-4, 4.97 ERA), who is trying to win his third straight start after beating the St. Louis Cardinals and the Athletics.
Bassitt has been limited by injury-related time off and has made only one home start since late May. His lone June outing came in a loss at Boston, when he gave up three runs in three innings.
In 10 career starts against the Red Sox, he is 2-4 with a 3.88 ERA.
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