By IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) — Mickey Gasper hit a first-inning home run, Ranger Suarez gave up five hits in seven innings, and benches cleared after a contentious eighth-inning double play as the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 on Friday night.
Gasper now has eight home runs this season, all in his last 16 games.
Suarez (6-4) struck out three, walked one and all five hits he allowed were singles.
Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his 32nd save of the season and the 399th os his career as Boston improved to 2-0 during this four-game set.
Benches and bullpens emptied in the eighth after Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock induced Luis Robert Jr. into an inning-ending double play and Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story appeared to take issue with Blaze Alexander’s slide into second.
Gasper had two of the four hits off Orioles starter Shane Baz (5-15). His first-inning shot off Baz’s first-pitch fastball cleared the out-of-town scoreboard and continued one of baseball’s more unlikely power streaks. Before being recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Aug. 16, the 30-year-old Gasper had homered only twice in 240 career at-bats.
Baz struck out six and walked two in 6 1/3 innings while tying Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee for the most losses in the majors. He has received MLB’s second worst run-support (3.02 runs per 9 IP), ahead of only Bibee.
Baltimore finished 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position while sinking to a fourth consecutive defeat. With the loss, the Orioles lost ground in the chase for the final AL wild-card spot.
Up next
Red Sox RHP Sonny Gray (16-4, 2.82 ERA) will try to add to what was an AL-leading wins total entering Friday. He’ll face O’s veteran righty Chris Bassitt (6-4, 4.97), who will be going for his third straight win.
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