BALTIMORE (AP) — Seth Smith and Manny Machado hit first-inning home runs off Rick Porcello to back a redemptive pitching performance by Alec Asher and help the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 Friday night.
Jonathan Schoop had two hits and scored a run for the Orioles, who have won four of five following a seven-game losing streak.
After hitting four home runs in the series opener Thursday, the Orioles used the long ball to take control against Porcello (3-7), the 2016 Cy Young Award winner. Smith drove a 3-2 pitch into the right-field seats for his third career leadoff homer, and Machado pulled a fastball into the second deck for a 2-0 lead.
Asher (2-3) retired 16 of the first 17 batters he faced and ended up allowing two runs and three hits over 6 1-3 innings. It was his second start since replacing Ubaldo Jimenez in the Baltimore rotation; in his first try, Asher yielded six runs over two innings in loss to Houston on Sunday.
Brad Brach, the third Baltimore reliever, got three straight outs for his 11th save in 14 tries.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)