BALTIMORE _ Climbing five games over the .500 mark had been something akin to mission impossible for these Red Sox.
Their fourth attempt at reaching a new best record in 2019 was anything but easy at Camden Yards on Sunday. Boston required a surprising intervention from Marco Hernandez and a somewhat more expected one from Rafael Devers.
Mookie Betts and Christian Vazquez added two-run singles as the Red Sox batted around in the lone extra frame. Boston finally accomplished one of its short-term goals, rallying for an 8-6 victory over the helpless Orioles in 10 innings.
Hernandez had just one big-league homer to his credit when he stepped to the plate with one out in the top of the ninth inning. The same pitcher who served up that round-tripper in May 2016, Baltimore right-hander Mychal Givens, was on the mound again. Hernandez connected on a towering drive to left-center that just cleared the green wall, making it 3-3.
Devers led off the top of the 10th with what has become a trademark display of power. He loaded up on a 1-and-0 fastball from Givens and sent a screaming drive to left-center. The ball crashed into the visiting bullpen 458 feet away, and the third baseman's 11th home run of the season put his club ahead to stay.
The Red Sox proceeded to bat around against Givens and David Hess. Betts dropped a liner over shortstop Jonathan Villar into short left-center and Vazquez sent another liner past Villar's glove side into center. Josh Smith allowed a two-run homer to right by Stevie Wilkerson and a solo shot to center by Trey Mancini but managed to finish it off, recording the last of 21 outs cobbled together by the Boston bullpen.
The Orioles were in line to avoid the weekend sweep when Wilkerson sent a two-out triple to the corner in right _ the first of his career _ and Hanser Alberto lined a sharp one-hop RBI single to center in the eighth. Baltimore was just 1-for-14 with men in scoring position until Alberto's key swing, and the Orioles handed Givens a 3-2 lead in the ninth.
Baltimore plated the tying run in the eighth in embarrassing fashion. Villar drew a walk, stole second base and took off for third on a lollipop throw back to the mound by Vazquez. It was a second stolen base, and Villar crossed the plate on a wild pitch by Marcus Walden that made it 2-2.
The game was even at 1 in the fourth when the Red Sox made a rather unnecessary baserunning gaffe. Michael Chavis looped a single on the infield and the ball squirted away from a diving Chris Davis, rolling into short center field. Xander Bogaerts turned third base and was left in no man's land, cut down for the second out of the inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr. was the next batter going left-left with John Means and extended his hitting streak to seven games. He sent a sharp drive to the gap in right-center, bringing in Chavis with the eventual winning run. Bogaerts had tied the game thanks to an RBI double to left-center and was spared a set of goat horns thanks to his teammate.
The Orioles had a chance to respond immediately, as Anthony Santander and Villar both singled to knock out Brian Johnson. Davis grounded into a fielder's choice and Keon Broxton pushed a safety squeeze bunt up the line at first base that should have scored Santander easily. The umpiring crew conferred and ruled Broxton had run out of the baseline, calling him out for interference and sending Santander back to third base.
Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde was ejected by plate umpire Tripp Gibson after a heated argument, but Martin still had a chance with two outs and men at the corners. Colten Brewer blew away the shortstop with a high fastball, ending the inning. Boston's bullpen held the Orioles scoreless until they broke through in the eighth.
The Orioles took the lead in the third when Alberto's chopper off the plate went for an infield single. Broxton was off on contact from third and scored easily, the lone run charged to Johnson
