Cruz Leads Orioles in DH Split with Boston

Jim Rogash/Getty Images(BOSTON) — After Jonathan Herrera’s walk-off, pinch-hit single gave the Boston Red Sox a 3-2 win in Game One of a doubleheader, Nelson Cruz went 5-for-5 to lead Baltimore to a 7-4 win in the nightcap on Saturday. Cruz finished the second game mere inches from the cycle, being tagged out trying to stretch a double into a triple.

The Red Sox (39-48) took the first game on the strength of Jon Lester’s impressive pitching. The southpaw tossed eight innings, giving up two unearned runs, while striking out seven in a no-decision. He was matched by Miguel Gonzalez, who struck out six in eight innings. Johnny Gomes beat out an infield single to lead off the ninth. He was sacrificed to second by David Ross before scoring on Herrera’s broken bat looper to right.

In the nightcap, the Orioles (47-40) jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to Nick Hundley’s fourth inning homer. Boston tied things up on Stephen Drew’s second homer of the day before adding two more in the home half. Baltimore would then score five unanswered runs en route to a split. Cruz homered in the fifth after doubling and lacing a single in his previous two at-bats. His infield single in the sixth chased Red Sox starter John Lackey. Cruz’s fifth hit of the night came in the eighth with a double to left-center but he was thrown out trying to leg it into a triple.

“I had to try and see what happened,” Cruz said, smiling. “I don’t remember the last time I hit a triple.”

Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio