The Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 on Friday, September 4, 2026, in a taut nine-inning pitchers' duel in Baltimore. Mickey Gasper delivered the game's only run with a solo home run, going 2-for-4 on the night, while Ranger Suarez threw seven dominant scoreless innings to earn the win. Aroldis Chapman closed it out in the ninth for the save. In a division matchup where every game carries weight, Boston got exactly what it needed: a clean, efficient win built on pitching and one big swing.

Mickey Gasper's Solo Home Run Provides the Only Offense Boston Needed

It wasn't pretty offensively, but it was enough. Gasper's solo shot — his only extra-base hit in a 2-for-4 night — accounted for the game's lone run and stood up all the way to the final out. Boston managed just enough contact against Baltimore's pitching to stay in the game, but it was Gasper who did the damage when it counted.

On the Baltimore side, Blaze Alexander was the bright spot, going 3-for-4 at the plate. But with no runners driven in, his hits amounted to nothing against a Boston pitching staff that was locked in from the first pitch to the last.

Ranger Suarez Delivers Seven Scoreless Innings

Suarez was the story of this game. The left-hander went seven full innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out three and posting a zero in the earned run column. He never let Baltimore string anything together, and he handed the ball to the bullpen with the lead intact and his pitch count managed.

Garrett Whitlock followed with a clean eighth inning — one hit allowed, no runs — before Chapman came on in the ninth to finish the job. Chapman struck out one and worked around a walk for the save, giving Boston a 1-0 final that felt earned every step of the way.

Shane Baz Takes the Loss Despite a Solid Outing

Baltimore's Shane Baz was sharp but came out on the wrong end of the pitching matchup. He went 6.1 innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and the one earned run that ended up being the difference. His six strikeouts showed he was competitive throughout, but Gasper's homer was the one pitch he couldn't take back.

Alex Hoppe came on in relief and got through two-thirds of an inning without allowing a run, and Josh Walker was electric in his inning of work — three strikeouts on one hit and a walk. Cam Sanders locked down the ninth for Baltimore, striking out two in a scoreless frame, but it was too late by then.

Boston Bullpen Holds the Line

The bullpen deserves credit here. After Suarez exited, Whitlock and Chapman combined for two innings of clean, no-drama relief. No runs, minimal stress. When your starter gives you seven, you need the back end to protect it — and on Friday night, they did exactly that.

Key Performances

  • Mickey Gasper (BOS): 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
  • Ranger Suarez (BOS): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 ER (Win)
  • Aroldis Chapman (BOS): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 K, 0 ER (Save)
  • Blaze Alexander (BAL): 3-for-4, 0 RBI
  • Shane Baz (BAL): 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 ER (Loss)

What's Next for the Red Sox

Boston takes a 1-0 series lead into the weekend in Baltimore. The Sox have shown they can win a low-scoring game in a division matchup, and the pitching performance Friday gives them reason to feel good heading into the next game of this series. Every win against an AL East opponent matters in September, and this one counts.