Hays, Orioles bash Red Sox 13-1 to avoid last in AL East

BOSTON (AP) — José Iglesias, Pat Valaika and Austin Hays homered to lead the Baltimore Orioles past the Boston Red Sox 13-1 Thursday night in a struggle for last place in the AL East.

Hays, Valaika, Rio Ruiz and Ramón Urías — the Nos. 5-8 hitters — each had three of Baltimore's 18 hits as the Orioles won for just the second time in eight games. Hays also had three hits and a homer on Wednesday night.

The Red Sox had won three in a row, with a chance to tie Baltimore for fourth place in the division had they swept the series. Instead, Boston trails by two games with three games to play in the pandemic-shortened season and has clinched its worst winning percentage since the 1965 team lost 100 games.

“I know it was not the way that we were supposed to play, but we are trying to do our best,” Red Sox starter Martin Perez said. “One thing that I want to say is we're never going to quit. I know it was not the best season for us, but we still have three more games, just go home, prepare our bodies for next year. We're going to have a great season next year."

Alex Cobb (2-5) gave up one run and six hits in seven innings for his first win since July 25 — the second game of the season. He had lost five straight decisions over eight starts.

“Coming off the surgery last year my goal was to get back to feeling normal this year," he said. "There was some ups and downs on that path, but I think I finally found it.”

Perez (3-5) allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk in four innings; he struck out two.

“Sometimes you go out there you think you have your stuff, and it's not (there),” he said. “The way that I finished the season was not the way that I expected, but that's part of the game."

Infielder Tzu-Wei Lin pitched the ninth for Boston — his first...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Hays-Orioles-bash-Red-Sox-13-1-to-avoid-last-in-15595962.php