BOSTON — Instant reactions from the Red Sox’ 2-1 loss to Baltimore Orioles in Game 2 of a doubleheader Saturday at Fenway Park:
1) Red Sox (27-27) won the first game of the doubleheader 6-5 in 10 innings on Rafael Devers’ fifth career walkoff RBI. They lead the four-game series 2-1 heading into Sunday’s finale.
2) Boston designated lefty Sean Newcomb for assignment and recalled hard-throwing righty Luis Guerrero from Triple-A Worcester right before Game 2. Guerrero replaced lefty Brennan Bernardino with two outs in the eighth and a runner at first base. He walked Adley Rutschman, then gave up an RBI single to Ryan O’Hearn that made it 1-0 Orioles.
3) Guerrero allowed another run in the ninth inning on two walks and Dylan Carson’s RBI single that put Baltimore ahead 2-0.
4) Righty Lucas Giolito has made five starts this season and he has pitched well in every other start. He pitched well in his season debut (6 innings, three runs at Toronto), bad in his second start (3 ⅔ innings, six runs vs. Texas), really well in his third start (6 ⅔ innings, one run at KC) and bad in his fourth start (4 innings, 6 runs vs. Atlanta).
It was his turn to pitch well again Saturday and he did. He pitched really well. He tossed 7 scoreless innings, allowing just six hits and two walks while striking out six. He threw 99 pitches (63 for strikes). He got nine swings and misses, including five with his four-seam fastball, two with his slider and two with his changeup.
5) No. 2 Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer was promoted between Games 1 and 2 of the doubleheader and made his MLB debut in the nightcap. He batted sixth and played third base. He shifted over to shortstop in the eighth inning after shortstop Trevor Story was removed in the seventh for a pinch hitter. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
6) The Red Sox squandered a big chance in the eighth. With Boston down 1-0, Nick Sogard led off the inning with a single to right field against O’s reliever Andrew Kittredge. David Hamilton pinch ran for Sogard and stole second base. Kittredge then walked Connor Wong, a .149 hitters, on four pitches. But he got Ceddanne Rafaela to fly out to shallow right field without the base runners advancing.
Righty Seranthony Domínguez took over for Kittredge. He got Jarren Duran to strike out swinging on an 86.9 mph splitter and Rafael Devers to pop out to first baseman Ryan O’Hearn on the first pitch of his at-bat.
7) Abraham Toro led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a 386-foot home run just out of the reach of center fielder Jorge Mateo who flipped over the wall into the Red Sox bullpen going after it. It was Toro’s second homer of the day and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Wilyer Abreu singled with one out. But rookie Marcelo Mayer grounded into a force out and David Hamilton
8) Orioles lefty starter Trevor Rogers, a 2021 NL All-Star with Miami, made his season debut. He began this year on the IL with a right knee subluxation before getting optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on May 11. He left with the game scoreless and two men on base with one out in the seventh inning. Righty Andrew Kittredge replaced him and got pinch hitter Wilyer Abreu to ground out to second base and Mayer to strike out swinging on a slider below the strike zone.
9) The Red Sox and Orioles will play the final game of their four-game series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Red Sox righty Walker Buehler (4-1, 4.00 ERA) is scheduled to start opposite righty Dean Kremer (3-5, 5.50 ERA).
