Boston Red Sox Explode In 17-1 Feast Of Baltimore Orioles
It’s no secret that the Boston Red Sox’s season so far has been dismal. And that is putting it gently. Coming into Saturday’s road matinee against AL East rival Baltimore Orioles, the Sox ranked last in the American League in team hits and 2nd-to-last in runs scored. The pitching has not fared much better, either.
Their 4.61 team ERA was tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for 24th in MLB. They had 211 strikeouts, which is considered below league average. So, the team has to feel a jolt of confidence after dominating the Orioles at Camden Yards. Especially after posting season highs of 17 runs and 17 hits.
The presumed ace of the Red Sox staff, Garrett Crochet, rounded back into form, going six strong innings. Thanks to a combination of offensive firepower and suppressing pitching, Boston ended its four-game losing streak.
Red Sox Have A Ninth Inning To Remember
The game was already a fait accompli entering the ninth inning. The Red Sox were ahead 7-1 and well on their way to avenging Friday’s loss to the Orioles. However, it quickly became evident that Boston was determined to pile on more runs against its division foe.
Of the 10 runs scored, nine came courtesy of the long ball. Designated Hitter Andruw Monasterio (3-for-6, 3 runs) was the first to do the honors. With the score 8-1 and the bases juiced, Monasterio lifted a 1-1 changeup to center field for his first home run of the year.
Mind you, no outs had been recorded to this point, and the Sox had scored five runs, one on a single by Willson Contreras. A couple of batters later, and still no outs, and Jarren Duran on first, Caleb Durbin (2-for-4, 3 runs scored) took Orioles Left Fielder Weston Wilson deep on an eephus pitch.
Red Sox Erupt For Historic Ninth-Inning Outburst
For Durbin, it was also his first long ball of the season. The score read 14-1. For those keeping score, the next batter, Connor Wong, made the first out of the inning. After singles by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ceddanne Rafaela, his 2nd hit of the inning, Contreras became the second Sox player this game to record 4 RBI in the inning.
Contreras blasted a three-run shot for the team’s 17 runs for the game and 10 for the ninth. For the Red Sox, it is the first time they have plated 10 runs in a ninth inning since 2017 against the Twins and the second time overall in franchise history.
The inning had already spun out of control for Detroit, and the crowd could feel the momentum snowballing with every swing. Boston’s dugout stayed loud, sensing a rare kind of late‑inning avalanche that doesn’t come around often in a long season.
Garrett Crochet Finally Looks Like Garrett Crochet Again
The last two starts and most of this season have been very “un-Garrett Crochet” like. The lefty combined to allow 15 earned runs on 16 hits and 4 home runs in just 6.2 innings. For the year, Crochet entered with an alarming 7.88 ERA through five starts after posting an ERA of 2.59 in 2025.
His ERA was lowered to 6.30. But this game could be what he needs to reaffirm his status among the upper echelon of MLB’s best pitchers. Crochet went six innings for the Red Sox without allowing a run, issued two walks, and fanned seven Orioles batters.
It is Crochet’s longest start since going 6.1 innings versus the Brewers on April 7, and it is his third time going at least six. Crochet has yet to complete a start of at least seven innings, but perhaps that could change in his next few games for the Red Sox.
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