Red Sox’s Adam Duvall hits walk-off homer to cap monster day, save Chris Sale in comeback win

BOSTON — Welcome to Boston, Adam Duvall.

Duvall had four extra-base hits — including a two-run, walk-off homer with the Red Sox trailing in the ninth — as Boston rallied back to beat the Orioles, 9-8, in the second game of the season. The comeback erased a miserable day for lefty Chris Sale, whose return to the Fenway Park mound was marred by three homers (and seven hits total).

Duvall, who fell a single short of the cycle, finished his day 4-for-5 with two homers, a triple, a double, five RBIs and three runs.

Making his first home start since the 2021 playoffs, Sale was shelled for seven runs (including three home runs) in just three innings. For the second time in as many games this season, the Red Sox fell behind early; this time, they were able to finish off a comeback despite a strong offensive performance.

Trouble came almost immediately for Sale after struck out Ramón Urías to lead off the game. After Adley Rutchman singled, Ryan Mountcastle opened the scoring with a two-run homer to left. Two batters later, Rookie of the Year hopeful Gunnar Henderson made it 3-0 with a shot to center.

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Boston scored its first run in the second, when Duvall tripled and then raced home on a wild pitch. But Sale failed to shut down Baltimore’s offense in the third. Three straight batters reached with one out before a Jorge Mateo RBI groundout put the O’s up 4-1. Cedric Mullins opened things up with a crushing three-run homer that made it 7-1.

With Sale’s day done, the Red Sox battled back with a four-run third inning of their own. Alex Verdugo and Duvall each hit two-run homers off Orioles starter Dean Kremer in the frame. Baltimore then took an 8-5 lead when Anthony Santander hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth.

Boston climbed within a run in the bottom of the seventh when Kiké Hernández led off with a solo homer and Duvall continued his strong day with a ground-rule double to right. Things got interesting in the ninth when, with two outs, Masataka Yoshida lifted a lazy fly ball to left field that bounced out of the glove of Ryan McKenna. Facing closer Felix Bautista, Duvall lifted the game-winner to left and barely cleared the Green Monster.

In total, seven balls hit against Sale had an exit velocity over 100 mph, including all three homers. With his command spotty, the lefty threw just 43 of his 74 pitches for strikes. The Red Sox fell to 0-2.

Issues on the basepaths continue

The Orioles backed up their five stolen bases on Opening Day with four more on Saturday, meaning they’ve tallied a whopping nine steals against Red Sox pitchers in 18 innings. On Saturday, Mateo had two while Mullins and Hays each had one.

Jansen makes Sox debut

Closer Kenley Jansen made an appearance with the Red Sox trailing, which likely won’t often be the case this season. But with the team off Friday and manager Alex Cora trying to keep all of his relievers ready, Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth (he worked around a single and walk). He struck out two and received the win.

Righty John Schreiber also made his 2023 debut Saturday, leaving left-hander Richard Bleier as the only Sox reliever to not appear in the team’s first two games. Boston’s first two starters, Corey Kluber and Sale, combined to get through just 6 ⅓ innings.

Houck on hill in finale

Righty Tanner Houck will make his season debut Sunday in the rubber game between the Red Sox and O’s. Lefty Cole Irvin, who was traded from the Athletics to the Orioles over the winter, will start for Baltimore. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. ET.

Houck will look to get off on the right foot after a miserable spring training in which he gave up nine homers in eight outings and totaled a 9.74 ERA in 20 ⅓ innings over six starts.

The Red Sox will then welcome the Pirates to town for a three-game series starting Monday before embarking on their first road trip of 2023 later in the week.