Closer Joel Hanrahan blew his first save as a member of the Red Sox in an 8-5 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
BOSTON — The silver-lining for Red Sox management that the sellout streak ended Wednesday: fewer fans got to see the ninth inning.
Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan didn't appear too alarmed two days ago when he let up a leadoff home run to Baltimore's Adam Jones in the ninth inning. The Red Sox still won that game, it was the only run he allowed and he had a three-run cushion to start the frame.
Two games a trend does not make, but now it's something to watch.
Hanrahan blew his first save as a member of the Red Sox on Wednesday in an 8-5 loss to the O's at Fenway Park. Chris Davis narrowed the score to 5-4 with a leadoff home run, a la Jones. A 55-foot wild pitch in front of the plate to Manny Machado tied the game at 5 with two out and the bases loaded, although the blast Machado followed with to left for a three-run shot one pitch later made the wild pitch seem inconsequential.
"He's obviously our closer," manager John Farrell said. "I think coming over and learning this league, understanding that there's power up and down the lineup, particularly the top half, and this club, they can drive the ball out of the ballpark. I think as Joel is making his way through the American League, particularly the American League East, location is key, particularly in those late-inning moments."
A win would have given the Red Sox three straight series wins to start the season for the first time since 1952. They could still pull that off with a win Thursday in the rubber match.
The Davis homer came on a slider that found enough of the plate and Davis eked it out to the deep part of the park, center.
"That's not how you want to start," Hanrahan said. "I got a couple outs right after that, and then I kind of went all over the place. I walked a couple of guys and threw that wild pitch and then the homer. You get those two outs and then you've got to put guys away."
Ryan Flaherty singled ahead of walks to Nate Reimold and Nate McLouth — although Hanrahan could've had a strike-three call go his way to McLouth with a full count.
"He was missing some location, but you’ve got to give those guys credit," catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. "They had some good at-bats. Chris Davis put a good at-bat together where he’s fouling sliders and hard cutters off. Nate did the same thing. You’ve got to tip your cap to those guys in that sense and come get them tomorrow."
The Machado wild pitch was a matter of overthrowing, Hanrahan said. Former Sox closer Andrew Bailey, who walked McLouth to start a scoreless eighth inning but set down the next three, including the last two by strikeout, empathized with Hanrahan.
"Yeah I mean the focus is getting the guy out, starting off an at-bat that way, you got to get back and throw the next pitch," Bailey said. "You know sometimes, baseball does that to you, you don't get the strike call, or you get one blooped in, or seeing-eye single and you know, he'll be fine. He's our guy down there and we're a unit. We all take it hard."
Hanrahan, 3-for-4 in save opportunities, gave up eight home runs in 2012 with the Pirates. He allowed just one in 2011. Machado was 1-for-18 going into the at-bat.
A 43-minute rain delay with the game tied at 3 after five innings gave way to more of the amazing Daniel Nava. His opposite-field, solo shot to left field in the sixth inning gave the Sox a 4-3 lead. Saltalamacchia, who also had a pair of doubles, followed with his first home run of 2013, to right field.
“I felt good," Saltalamacchia said. "After I got that first hit out of the way, I felt like I kind of locked in a little bit. It’s just kind of timing, is what it’s been. Tonight was good."
Four pitches separated the Nava and Saltalamacchia home runs, both on fastballs from Orioles righty reliever Tommy Hunter, who came on to replace right-hander Jake Arrieta. Arrieta and Red Sox starter Ryan Dempster last justed five innings because of the delay.
Dempster allowed three runs, one earned, with seven strkeouts and two walks on 93 pitches, 60 for strikes. Boston was one of two teams entering Wednesday that had not allowed an error in 2013, but that streak ended with a pair of miscues, including a ball that Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino both got to in right-center.
Wednesday was the second time the Sox have gone back-to-back this season, and second time in three games. The first duo also included Nava, as the second leg following Will Middlebrooks, in Sunday's 16-0 win in Toronto.
The attendance on the night the 794-game sellout streak ended was 30,862.
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