BALTIMORE — Jackie Bradley Jr. scored the game’s lone run on a wild pitch by Brad Brach in the 11th inning, and the Boston Red Sox used six pitchers to silence the Baltimore Orioles’ bats in a 1-0 victory Tuesday night.
Boston has won 10 of 13 to move a season-high 23 games over .500 (87-64) and draw closer to clinching a postseason berth. The Red Sox started the day with a three-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the AL East.
It was the second straight tight, lengthy game between these AL East rivals. Boston won in 11 innings on Monday night and is 15-3 in extra-inning games.
With a runner on second and two outs in the 11th, Brach (4-5) walked Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts to load the bases for Mitch Moreland, who sidestepped a bouncing pitch from Brach that enabled Bradley to score without a throw.
Joe Kelly (4-1) worked the 10th and Matt Barnes got three outs for his first save. Five Red Sox relievers did not allow a hit over 42/3 innings.
The finish came after starting pitchers Drew Pomeranz and Kevin Gausman locked up in a scoreless duel that was essentially the exact opposite of Monday night’s 10-8 slugfest.
Pomeranz allowed five hits and two walks in 61/3 innings for Boston. Although he didn’t get his 17th win, the left-hander lowered his ERA to 3.15 and set a career high by pitching at least six innings for the 17th time (in 30 starts).
Gausman was even sharper, giving up just three hits over eight innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.
The right-hander retired the first 14 batters before Rafael Devers singled off the right-field wall. In the sixth, Xander Bogaerts singled and Benintendi walked before Betts grounded out.
Baltimore threatened in the third inning when Manny Machado hit a two-out double, but he was thrown out by Benintendi trying to score on Jonathan Schoop’s single to left field.
No one else got to third base until the sixth, when Baltimore had runners at the corners with two outs before Pomeranz struck out Mark Trumbo with a high, outside fastball.
The Orioles have lost 11 of 13 to fall out of contention.
NOTES: Dustin Pedroia, who left Monday’s game in the fourth inning after fouling a ball off his nose, did not start but was used as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning and grounded into a double play. Manager John Farrell said Pedroia will likely return to the starting lineup Wednesday. … DH Hanley Ramirez (left arm soreness) was out of the starting lineup for the sixth consecutive game.
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