BOSTON – (Staff and wire service report from The Sports Xchange) – Drew Pomeranz came off the disabled list to throw six-plus strong innings, Dustin Pedroia drove in four runs, and Christian Vazquez had four hits and two RBIs to lead the Boston Red Sox to an 8-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
Pomeranz, who returned from a left forearm injury, walked one and struck out six to earn his first career victory in seven starts — 11 appearances — at Fenway Park.
Andrew Benintendi
Pablo Sandoval and Pedroia hit sacrifice flies to give the Red Sox (4-3) a 2-0 lead, and Pedroia singled home a pair off reliever Darren O’Day in a three-run seventh inning that saw the Orioles (4-2) commit two errors.
Vazquez, just 1-for-1 on the season entering the contest, matched his career high in hits and capped his big night with a two-run triple in the eighth inning. Pedroia then brought the final run home with an infield hit as Vazquez scored his second run.
Boston’s Andrew Benintendi added three hits and an RBI, and Mookie Betts and Chris Young had two hits apiece in a 15-hit attack.
Dylan Bundy (1-1) gave up three runs in 6 1/3 innings, falling to 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA in his four career starts against Boston. O’Day relieved in the sloppy seventh and had his second straight rough outing.
Jonathan Schoop’s groundout made it 2-1 in the seventh before the Red Sox broke it open.
Three relievers worked an inning apiece behind Pomeranz, who allowed one run on four hits. The left struck out six and walked one.
The Orioles had a threat in the second inning on a single by Welington Castillo and double by Trey Mancini with one out. But Pomeranz got out of it and retired 12 straight batters before Adam Jones doubled with one out in the sixth inning.
Sandoval hit his sacrifice fly for his fifth RBI in the bottom of the inning, and Pedroia came through with his sac fly in the fifth.
NOTES: SS Xander Bogaerts and DH Hanley Ramirez (flu) both returned to the Red Sox lineup after missing the series in Detroit. … The Red Sox officially placed CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (knee) on the disabled list and sent INF Deven Marrero back to Triple-A Pawtucket. … Baltimore LF Trey Mancini worked pregame on taking balls off the Green Monster, saying he worked on the replica wall at Boston’s Fort Myers Jet Blue Park. … RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, 2-6 with a 6.92 ERA lifetime against Boston, goes for the Orioles in Wednesday’s series finale, facing RHP Steven Wright. Last year, Wright beat the Orioles both times he faced them. … The Red Sox play a makeup game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday