Benches Clear in Orioles-Red Sox Game After Hard Slide

In the eighth inning of a Friday night matchup, Baltimore’s Blaze Alexander slid hard into second base on a double-play attempt. The play ended the inning with Boston leading 1–0. Although replays showed Alexander’s slide continued past the bag without contacting Red Sox second baseman Nick Sogard, the exchange sparked a benches-clearing incident. Neither team ejected a player, and the game resumed with Boston’s closer Aroldis Chapman securing his 399th career save in the ninth. Boston later won 5–0, completing a second straight shutout of the Orioles.

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Sogard acknowledged the hard slide but noted he had no problem with it, adding he was simply watching how far Alexander went. After the benches emptied, Alexander tried to rally the crowd, hoping to spark a rally despite the loss. Red Sox veteran pitcher Sonny Gray later said the incident made his team want to “bury those guys.”

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• Final score: Boston Red Sox 5, Baltimore Orioles 0.

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• Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray threw seven innings, allowing three hits, three walks, and striking out seven.

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• Aroldis Chapman recorded his 399th career save.

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• The Orioles fell to a five-game losing streak, slipping five games below .500.

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• “I thought, clean slide into the bag, and just getting stared at,” — Blaze Alexander

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• “We wanted to bury those guys,” — Sonny Gray, red sox veteran

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Both clubs are fighting for postseason positioning, and the incident underscores the heightened tension as the regular season winds down. The Orioles’ recent slide-related controversy did not alter the game outcome but contributed to a growing frustration within a team that has now lost five straight. For Boston, the shutout and the emotional boost from the benches-clearing episode reinforce their momentum as they pursue a sweep of the series and aim to improve their wild-card standing.

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