BALTIMORE — The next time the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox meet, summer will be winding down and football season will almost be here.
Until then, each team will do its best to be in contention when the next series between these AL East foes gets under way.
Andrew Benintendi hit two home runs, Chris Sale pitched six innings to earn his sixth straight win and Boston beat Baltimore 7-3 Sunday for a split of the four-game series.
The Red Sox broke a sixth-inning tie by scoring two unearned runs on a throwing error by catcher Francisco Pena, and Benintendi’s second homer made it 6-3 in the seventh.
With the victory, the Red Sox improved to 6-7 against the Orioles. Nearly a quarter of Boston’s first 56 games were against Baltimore, but the teams won’t play again until Aug. 25.
That’s why the Red Sox were delighted to win the final two games to get a split.
“We’re neck-and-neck with this team and this division is going to be bunched up for the foreseeable future,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “To get out of here even instead of being down 3-1, it’s a big swing day for us.”
Speaking of big swings, Benintendi hit two solo shots before adding an RBI single in the ninth. It was the first career multihomer game for the rookie, who entered in a 1-for-21 skid.
“He has a gift of being a very even-tempered guy,” Farrell said. “Through these couple of dry spells, he’s kept his head on his shoulders.”
Sale (7-2) struck out nine to increase his major-league leading total to 119. The left-hander is 6-0 in his last seven starts, a streak that began with a win over Baltimore on May 2.
His outing came on the heels of a similarly effective outing by David Price on Saturday night.
“Winning those first two games and trying to take a shot at those two guys, it’s a challenge,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.
Chris Tillman (1-3) kept the Orioles even until the sixth. After a single and two walks loaded the bases with one out, Sandy Leon struck out. With Deven Marrero at the plate, Tillman bounced an 0-2 pitch that glanced off Pena’s shoulder and into his glove.
As Mitch Moreland edged down the line, Pena launched a throw that sailed wide of third base, allowing Moreland and Jackie Bradley Jr. to score.
“I just tried to be too quick, tried to put a perfect throw, and I messed it up,” Pena said.
After Boston jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Sale yielded three runs and three hits in the bottom half. Chris Davis drove in two runs with an opposite-field single to left and scored on a double by Jonathan Schoop, the first of his three hits.
“I really had to kind of refocus after that and not let my emotions get the best of me,” Sale said.
Benintendi tied it with his sixth home run, the first in 81 at-bats since May 7.
500 MILESTONE
Boston leadoff batter Mookie Betts got his 500th career hit with a swinging bunt to open the game. He is the seventh Red Sox player in the last 100 years to reach the 500-mark before his 25th birthday.
GRAND FINALE
Veteran broadcaster Fred Manfra called his final game, bringing an end to a 25-year run with the Orioles. A native of East Baltimore, Manfra grew up listening to Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Thompson and joined the Orioles radio team in 1993.
MINOR TRADE
Later Sunday, the Orioles acquired infielder Rubén Tejada from the New York Yankees in a deal for cash considerations. He was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP Brian Johnson left his Triple A start on Saturday night with a cramp in his right hamstring. He’s an option to fill the void in the rotation left by Eduardo Rodriguez being placed on the disabled list.
Orioles: C Welington Castillo (testicular injury) played catch in the outfield. He’s eligible to come off the DL on June 10, but not before a rehabilitation assignment. “You don’t want to test it out in a big league game,” Showalter said.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: After a day off, Boston sends Drew Pomeranz (5-3, 4.24 ERA) to the mound in the opener of a three-game series at Yankees Stadium on Tuesday.
Orioles: Following a day off Monday, the Orioles and Kevin Gausman (3-4, 5.92) open a two-game interleague series against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
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