J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer to break an eighth-inning tie, Zack Kelly earned his first career victory and the Boston Red Sox beat Baltimore 5-3 on Thursday to drop the slumping Orioles to the brink of postseason elimination.
Baltimore led 2-0 before falling behind, then tied it at 3 on Kyle Stowers’ seventh-inning homer. But Dillon Tate (4-4) walked the leadoff batter in the eighth and one out later Martinez sent a ball over the Green Monster and onto Lansdowne Street.
It was the fifth loss in six games for the Orioles, who entered the day 4½ games behind Seattle for the third and final AL wild-card berth.