The Orioles have taken a 2-0 lead over the Red Sox thanks to a pair of botched plays in the outfield by Darnell McDonald.
A late replacement for Carl Crawford, held out of the game with a stiff neck, Darnell McDonald was given the start in left field. So far, he’s done about as well as a cardboard cutout of himself.
After Kyle Weiland started very strong, striking out four of the first six batters he faced in two scoreless innings, the Sox’ starter allowed a fly ball to left field. With the sun in his eyes, Darnell McDonald allowed the easy out to fall in for a cheap hit. One batter later, and McDonald botched another play, allowing a line drive to clank off of his glove to put runners at the corner. Seeing fit to test the beleaguered outfielder once more, Matt Angle sent another fly ball in his direction, bouncing it off the scoreboard just beyond his reach and bringing both men in.
The Sox, meanwhile, have been stranding runners as they are so often wont to do. While both Jacoby Ellsbury and Marco Scutaro reached to start the first, a strikeout and a double play quickly ended the threat, and the Sox could do nothing following Josh Reddick’s one-out double in the second.