Abreu has a two-run homer, Tolle pitches 6 scoreless innings and Red Sox beat Orioles 8-1

Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, Payton Tolle pitched six scoreless innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-1 on Wednesday. 

Mickey Gasper had a two-run triple in Boston's five-run fifth inning and Ceddanne Rafaela had three hits for the Red Sox, who have scored five or more runs in six of their last nine games. They had recently endured a stretch where they went 11 straight games without scoring more than four runs. 

Willson Contreras had two singles and a double, and every spot in the Red Sox batting order had at least one hit. 

Tolle (3-2) allowed seven hits, struck out five, walked two and lowered his ERA to 2.28. He has allowed less than four runs in nine of his 10 career starts. 

Jarren Duran hit a leadoff single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Abreu drove Duran across to put the Sox ahead 1-0, and added a two-run homer in the third that made it 3-0. 

The Red Sox erupted for five runs in the fifth, started by Gasper's two-run triple. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Caleb Durbin, and Rafaela each drove in one run in the frame. 

Adley Rutschman got the O's on the board with an RBI triple in the seventh. Chris Bassitt (4-4) allowed six hits and three runs in three innings, and Taylor Ward had three singles. 

Ryan Watson earned his first career save with two strikeouts and one run allowed in three innings. 

Up next 

Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.84) takes the hill for the Orioles in the rubber match. The Red Sox have not announced their starter.