BALTIMORE (AP) - Michael Chavis homered in his first start of the season, Xander Bogaerts also connected and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 11-6 on Saturday night.
Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo each had three hits for the Red Sox. Boston improved to a season-best eight games over .500 at 21-13.
“It was a good day offensively,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We ran the bases really, really well. We controlled the strike zone. We used the other side of the field. Overall, it was outstanding.”
Chavis was recalled Friday from Triple-A Worcester and took the roster spot of Kiké Hernández, who was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain. Chavis started at second and batted leadoff - his only other appearance this season was April 10 against Baltimore as a pinch-runner.
Garrett Richards (2-2) beat the Orioles for the first time in three starts this season, allowing four runs and eight hits over seven innings.
“It’s a really good team, man. We’re not weak in very many areas,” Richards said. “It’s still early. I don’t even think that we peaked yet. It’s encouraging. We just show up every day with the mindset that we’re going to win today. It’s really fun to watch. It’s really cool to be a part of on a daily basis.”
The Red Sox took a 4-1 lead in the second on a single by Hunter Renfroe and a two-run homer by Chavis off Orioles left-hander Zac Lowther, who made his first major league start.
Freddy Galvis cut the lead to 4-2 by leading off the bottom half with a solo shot for the Orioles, who have homered in each of their last nine games.
The Red Sox answered with three runs in the third on an RBI single by Christian Vazquez and a two-run single by Bobby Dalbec off Shawn Armstrong.
Lowther (0-1) was charged with seven runs over 2 1/3 innings.
“I am not executing in the right spots,” Lowther said. “When I was missing, I was missing over the heart of the plate, and to a good lineup like that, you’re going to get hurt.”
Boston opened the fourth with three straight singles and scored two more runs on a grounder by Rafael Devers and a single by Vazquez.
Bogaerts pushed the lead to 11-2 with a two-run homer in the sixth.
“I expect a lot of myself and I go out there and try to be the best,” Bogaerts said. “It’s just the mentality that I have every year.”
Trey Mancini had an RBI double and scored on a pinch-hit single by Ramon Urias in the sixth, but Bogaerts ended the threat with a nifty grab for an inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play.
“He’s probably the best offensive shortstop in the big leagues,” Cora said about Bogaerts. “Whatever he touches, he turns into outs. If he’s not the best shortstop in the big leagues, somebody needs to show me somebody else, to be honest with you.”
Orioles infielder Pat Valaika pitched a scoreless ninth.
Austin Hays managed a two-run single in the ninth off Austin Brice that pulled the Orioles within 11-6.
BIG CROWD
The announced attendance at Camden Yards was 10,598, considered a sellout with ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
CEREMONY
Orioles left-hander John Means was honored prior to the game for throwing a no-hitter Wednesday against Seattle. Means is the first Baltimore pitcher to toss a complete-game no-hitter since Jim Palmer in 1969.
MOVES
Orioles: LHP Brandon Waddell was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. RHP Jay Flaa was designated for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: INF Christian Arroyo (hand) was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game. He suffered a bruised left hand after getting hit by a pitch Wednesday against the Tigers. Arroyo could return Sunday.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Nick Pivetta (4-0, 3.23 ERA) has allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts. He picked up a win against the Orioles on April 11 at Camden Yards.
Orioles: RHP Dean Kremer (0-2, 6.43 ERA) is coming off the best start of his rookie season, allowing just one run and two hits over six innings against the Mariners.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Please read our comment policy before commenting.