BALTIMORE — Xander Bogaerts did the damage early, extending his hitting streak to 23 games and driving in two runs.
From there, Boston used the long ball to pull away from the Baltimore Orioles in a matchup between the top two teams in the AL East.
Tuesday's game
WHO: Boston Red Sox (Rodriguez 0-0) at Baltimore Orioles (Gausman 0-2)
WHEN: 7:05
TELEVISION: NESN
Jackie Bradley put the first-place Red Sox ahead for good with a sixth-inning homer, and David Ortiz and Marco Hernandez connected in the eighth to seal a 7-2 victory Monday.
Knuckleballer Steven Wright (5-4) pitched a four-hitter, striking out seven and walking five in his third complete game this season.
Mookie Betts scored twice, courtesy of Bogaerts, before Bradley connected off Tyler Wilson (2-4) leading off the sixth. Bradley’s 29-game hitting streak, which ended last week, is the only one this season longer than Bogaerts’ career-best run.
“I’m just trying to go up there and get hits, you know? If it happens, it happens,” Bogaerts said. “Just trying to be me, and not trying to be someone who I’m not.”
Ortiz led off the eighth with his 14th home run and Hernandez added a three-run shot to send many in the crowd of 43,926 up the exit ramps. Hernandez’s first major league homer came in his 10th game.
Wright, meanwhile, threw a 122-pitch masterpiece by mixing a fluttering knuckler with a vastly contrasting fastball.
“It was a challenge,” Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo said. “He had great stuff today. It never ended up where it started. You can’t really predict where to swing. You just hope that you get one that maybe doesn’t move quite as much.”
Ryan Flaherty doubled in a run and scored one for the Orioles, who have lost 6 of 8.
Wilson gave up three runs and eight hits over 62/3 innings in losing his third straight start.
Limited to an infield hit over the first four innings, Baltimore temporarily solved Wright’s knuckler in the fifth. Nolan Reimold tripled, Flaherty doubled, Caleb Joseph snapped an 0-for-19 skid with a single and Adam Jones delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2.
NOTES: Placed on the concussion list May 20, Red Sox utility man Brock Holt has ramped up his baseball-related activities. But there is no timetable for his return, Manager John Farrell said. .
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