BALTIMORE — Right-hander Kevin Gausman threw six innings of two-hit ball, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 2-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox Monday night.
The Orioles, who won for the fifth time in six games, still hold out hope for a late playoff push. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are trying to climb out of the American League East cellar.
Gausman (3-6) struck out seven and walked four to pick up his first win since Aug. 1. Catcher Caleb Joseph had three of Baltimore’s nine hits.
With the Orioles clinging to a 1-0 lead, Baltimore reliever Brad Brach got two ground balls and a strikeout to get out of the seventh. Center fielder Adam Jones then provided an insurance run with his second RBI of the night on a two-out double to right off Jean Machi that scored first baseman Chris Davis, who had singled.
Orioles reliever Darren O’Day began the eighth and allowed a leadoff walk to center fielder Mookie Betts and a single to pinch hitter Brock Holt. O’Day struck out shortstop Xander Bogaerts before being replaced by lefty Brian Matusz, who came in to face David Ortiz. The Boston designated hitter flied out to center, and Matusz induced a groundout from first baseman Travis Shaw to preserve the shutout.
Closer Zach Britton picked up his 33rd save with a perfect ninth.
Boston rookie left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (9-6) allowed one run on five hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. He was looking to become the first Boston rookie to earn 10 wins since Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007.
Orioles designated hitter Nolan Reimold singled and Machado earned a walk off Rodriguez to open the first. Boston second baseman Josh Rutledge then couldn’t handle a sharp grounder by Jones, allowing Reimold to score.
Gausman cruised through the Red Sox lineup until the fourth, when he loaded the bases with one out. However, left fielder Rusney Castillo lined out to second and catcher Blake Swihart flied to center to end the threat.
NOTES: Holt entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, the first time he played since leaving the Friday game against Tampa Bay due to back spasms. … Boston DH David Ortiz was back in the lineup after an emotional weekend during which he got his 500th home run Saturday against the Rays. He did not play Sunday. … RHP Miguel Gonzalez (right shoulder tendinitis) began throwing on flat ground Monday with no ill effects. The Orioles hope he can make another start this season.
Mets 4, Marlins 3
NEW YORK — Third baseman David Wright laced a tie-breaking ground-rule RBI double with two outs in the seventh inning as the New York Mets produced another comeback win by beating the Miami Marlins 4-3 at Citi Field Monday night.
With their season-high eighth straight win, the Mets (83-61) increased their lead in the National League East to 10 games while reducing the magic number for clinching the division to 10, pending the Washington Nationals’ game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Marlins (61-83) lost their second in a row and fell to 8-4 in September.
Six of the Mets’ last eight wins have been of the come-from-behind variety. On Monday, New York jumped out to a 1-0 lead on left fielder Yoenis Cespedes’ long homer in the third. However, Miami tied it on an RBI groundout by shortstop Miguel Rojas in the fifth and took the lead on back-to-back RBI singles in the sixth by left fielder Derek Dietrich and catcher J.T Realmuto.
But the Mets wasted little time tying the game in the bottom of the sixth, when second baseman Juan Uribe doubled with two outs before catcher Travis d’Arnaud hit a two-run homer to center.
In the seventh, shortstop Wilmer Flores drew a one-out walk against Marlins right-hander Kyle Barraclough (2-1). Pinch-runner Eric Young stole second, after which pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson drew a walk and pinch-hitter Michael Conforto popped out to first base.
Wright, who also doubled in the first, then bounced a double over the center-field wall.
Right-hander Hansel Robles (4-2) earned the win with a hitless seventh. Right-handers Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia retired the final six batters in order, with Familia earning his 41st save.
Mets right-hander Logan Verrett, making a spot start so that New York can manage the innings of right-hander Matt Harvey, allowed one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three over five innings.