BALTIMORE (AP) — Tyler O’Neill had four hits in his home debut for Baltimore, and the Orioles used a pair of big offensive innings to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-5 on Monday.
Baltimore scored four runs in the first and four more in the eighth in its home opener, and the Orioles’ bullpen threw 4 2/3 innings. Matt Bowman, Seranthony Domínguez (1-0), Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano blanked Boston in relief. Then Félix Bautista came on for the ninth to a big ovation — the big closer missed all of last season because of Tommy John surgery.
Bautista allowed two runs and had to face Alex Bregman as the tying run with two on. Bregman hit a game-ending popup.
Orioles starter Cade Povich allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings but struck out eight. Sean Newcomb (0-1) threw three shutout innings after allowing four runs in the first in his Boston debut.
Baltimore began the bottom of the first with four straight singles, including RBI hits by O’Neill and Ryan Mountcastle. Cedric Mullins added a two-out, two-run double to make it 4-0.
O’Neill, who signed with the Orioles in the offseason, had three singles and a double.
Jarren Duran hit a two-run triple in the second for Boston, and the Red Sox scored again in the third, but the Orioles pulled away in the eighth. Heston Kjerstad singled home a run, Mullins drove in two more with a bases-loaded single, and Jackson Holliday hit an RBI single.
Mullins twice doubled Baltimore’s lead from two to four, and he has 10 RBIs through five games.
Boston star Rafael Devers continues to scuffle. He did draw two walks in this game but struck out his other three times up. He is 0 for 19 with 15 strikeouts on the season.
The teams are off Tuesday before resuming the series Wednesday night. Boston’s Garrett Crochet (0-0) takes the mound against Zach Eflin (1-0).
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