Adley Rutschman Powers Red Sox Past Orioles In Memorable Baltimore Return originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Rutschman homered twice against his former team, Nick Sogard delivered the go-ahead blast and Roman Anthony supplied a crucial insurance run as the Boston Red Sox held off the Baltimore Orioles for a 6-5 victory Thursday night.
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Boston snapped a two-game losing streak and earned just its second victory in six games. The Red Sox improved to 76-65 while opening their four-game series in Baltimore with a dramatic win.
The Red Sox celebrated the victory after Aroldis Chapman survived a late scare to earn his 31st save.
Rutschman received a warm ovation before his first at-bat in Baltimore since the Orioles traded him to Boston on Aug. 3.
He responded by sending a Brandon Young changeup over the right-center-field wall in the first inning. The solo shot traveled a projected 377 feet and gave Boston an immediate 1-0 lead.
Rutschman struck again in the sixth. He attacked Young’s first pitch and drove it 389 feet to right-center for his second home run of the game, cutting Baltimore’s lead to 3-2.
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The switch-hitting catcher entered the night batting just .170 across his first 15 appearances with Boston. He also had missed the entire three-game series against the Seattle Mariners because of discomfort related to a hyperextended right elbow.
Rutschman’s two swings erased concerns about either issue, at least for one memorable night. He finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
The two home runs also represented Boston’s only two hits through the first six innings.
Baltimore took a 3-1 lead in the fourth when Luis Robert Jr. and Pete Alonso hit back-to-back home runs against Jake Bennett.
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Rutschman started Boston’s comeback before the bottom of the order completed it.
Eli White doubled with two outs in the seventh and scored when Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined a game-tying single into right field.
Boston moved ahead one inning later. Rutschman reached second on a fielder’s choice and Baltimore throwing error before Sogard launched a two-run homer to right-center. Sogard’s fourth home run of the season gave the Red Sox their first lead since the opening inning.
Anthony then provided a run Boston desperately needed. The rookie homered to left-center with two outs in the ninth, giving him home runs in consecutive games and extending the lead to 6-3.
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Bennett gave Boston six solid innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk. He threw 52 of his 68 pitches for strikes.
Erik Miller and Garrett Whitlock combined for two scoreless innings with four strikeouts before Chapman entered for the ninth.
Chapman struck out Alonso to begin the inning, but Gunnar Henderson singled and Christian Encarnacion-Strand followed with a two-run homer. Baltimore suddenly had pulled within one.
The veteran closer did not allow the game to unravel. Chapman retired Leody Taveras and Dylan Beavers to preserve the victory, with Beavers striking out on three pitches to end it.
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Boston and Baltimore will continue the four-game series Friday night at Camden Yards. The Red Sox will look to build on a victory that belonged to Rutschman, even if it came in a ballpark he once called home.
