Craig Breslow, Red Sox bullpen deliver another shutout of Orioles

BOSTON – In his 10-season career, Craig Breslow has made 533 appearances, including the posteason. Until Saturday they had all been out of the bullpen.

Prior to Saturday, the longest he had pitched in one game was 3 2/3 innings on Sept. 20, 2005, while with the Padres in a 20-1 loss at Colorado.

On Saturday, in his first big league start, he went four scoreless innings against the Orioles at Fenway Park, allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Breslow threw 55 pitches, 31 for strikes. He wasn’t around for the decision, though, as the Sox used seven pitchers on the way to a 8-0 win.

In the first two games of the series, the Sox have outscored the O’s 15-0.

Heath Hembree, who pitched a scoreless fifth inning, got the win Saturday, improving to 2-0.

O’s left-hander Wei-Yin Chen took the loss, falling to 10-8.

Chen kept the Red Sox offense in check until the fifth inning, when Brock Holt drew a one-out walk, scoring on Josh Rutledge’s double to left. The Sox added a run in the sixth when Rusney Castillo hit a two-out double off the Wall in left, scoring on Holt’s single to center.

The O’s shoddy defense and lack of offense did them in. They managed just five hits in the game while committing three errors. Of the Sox eight runs, just two were earned.

In the seventh, Blake Swihart opened with a walk from right-hander Oliver Drake. After Jackie Bradley, Jr., struck out, Mookie Betts doubled to left putting runners at second and third before Dustin Pedroia – serving as the designated hitter to give David Ortiz a day off – fouled out to catcher Matt Weiters. Xander Bogaerts groundball snuck under the glove of third baseman Manny Machado for an error and two more runs, giving the Sox a 4-0 lead. Left-hander Brian Matusz replaced Drake and got Travis Shaw to pop out, ending the rally.

The Sox batted around in the eighth inning, scoring four runs – all unearned. The O’s committed three errors in the frame, while the Sox had two hits and two walks.