The Maryland late March weather wasn’t cooperating as rain ended the game after just five innings and giving the Red Sox a 2-0 win over the now 1-3 Orioles.
Lineup vs Matt Hall – LHP
- Austin Hays – CF
- Hanser Alberto – 3B
- Anthony Santander – RF
- Renato Nunez – 1B
- Pedro Severino – C
- Dwight Smith Jr. – DH
- Jose Iglesias – SS
- Andrew Velazquez – LF
- Pat Valaika – 2B
Starting Pitcher: Tommy Milone (0-0, 0.00)
Game recap
In a surprising pitcher’s duel early on, Boston starter/opener Matt Hall and Orioles starter Tommy Milone traded zeroes through the first three innings with Milone striking out five and Hall allowing just a Pat Valaika single.
In the 4th inning though, after getting the first out, the Red Sox got to Malone with back to back homers by catcher Christian Vazquez and LF Andrew Benintendi to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.
Hall would dominate the Orioles in the bottom of the 4th and than get pulled for reliever Heath Hembree to start the 5th. A surprising dominant performance from a journeymen reliever against the Orioles offense as he went four shutout innings, allowing just the one hit with three strikeouts.
At 89 pitches, Milone was on a short leash with Shawn Armstrong warming in the pen, but it started to rain in the bottom of the 5th and the radar did not look good. After getting one out in the 6th, the skies opened up and the umpires called a delay of game.
After about an hour, it was pretty clear the skies were not going to let up and the umpires called the game giving the Red Sox a five inning, 2-0 win. So far, not a lot of good things going on for the Orioles in 2020 as they fall to 1-3 on this early season.
Orioles Player of the game: Tommy Milone (5.1 IP, 2 ER, 6K)
Tony’s Take: The Orioles can’t catch a break so far this season despite getting some good starting pitcher in three of their four games. Clearly the offense is off to a slow start and it’s a bit concerning their lineup against left-handed pitching was dominated by a journeyman reliever who was being used as an opener.
