Boston Red Sox fans could get used to this. Clay Buchholz struck out eight over seven scoreless innings and Daniel Nava hit a three-run homer to help the Red Sox win their ninth straight home opener. Buchholz allowed only three hits. Andrew Bailey pitched a perfect eighth inning and new Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan allowed a home run to Orioles center fielder Adam Jones before recording his third save in three tries this season.
“We might spend all day tomorrow crying as a team, holding each other’s hands, spend all day walking through the Prudential Center (in Boston) crying,” outfielder Jones said sarcastically after Baltimore fell to 3-4. “We’re playing good baseball. We’ve got 155 games to go; a lot of games to go.”
Nava broke open a scoreless duel with his second homer in two days. He hit a shot over the Green Monster in left after Dustin Pedroia singled and took third on a double by Mike Napoli. The Red Sox lead the American League East with a 5-2 record.
Red Sox News: Boston RHP John Lackey is expected to miss his next start, scheduled for Friday, with inflammation in his right biceps.