BOSTON — Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez continued his torrid second half, leading the high-flying Baltimore Orioles to a 4-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
Gonzalez (9-7) pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings in turning in his ninth performance of two earned runs or less in his last 10 starts. Having pitched his first career shutout in his previous start, he has yielded one earned run in 22 1/3 innings over his last three starts, four runs in 34 2/3 over his last five.
The win moved the Orioles 10 games ahead of the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East — Baltimore’s first double-digit lead of not only this season but its first September 10-game lead since 1979.
Gonzalez gave up six hits, three of them to the last three hitters he faced. He left the bases loaded with one out and right-hander Tommy Hunter came on and struck out third baseman Will Middlebrooks and catcher David Ross.
Hunter struck out three of the four batters he faced before left-hander Brian Matusz’s first pitch was drilled for a double by designated hitter David Ortiz. Right-hander Darren O’Day relieved and left fielder Yoenis Cespedes, who earlier dropped a line drive, reached on an error by third baseman Chris Davis. O’Day then struck out first baseman Mike Napoli and right-hander Ryan Webb worked a perfect ninth and finished off the Orioles’ 11th shutout of the season.
First baseman Steve Pearce drove in one run and created two others with a takeout of shortstop Xander Bogaerts on a potential inning-ending double play. Hit by what appeared to be Pearce’s hands as he made his relay, Bogaerts bounced the throw past pitcher Joe Kelly covering first.
The two runs made it 3-0 and more defensive miscues by the Red Sox helped deliver another run in the seventh.
Right-hander Joe Kelly fell to 1-2 for the Red Sox, the defending World Series champions who had been officially eliminated from the division race on Sunday.
Boston, shut out for the 14th time this season, is 5-16 in its last 21 home games.
The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on successive singles by designated hitter Nelson Cruz, Davis and Pearce with nobody out. Kelly then pitched out of further trouble by retiring the next three hitters.
Kelly gave up a bunt single in the third and a walk in the fourth but was in control, getting defensive help from second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who made a couple of nifty plays.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox wasted two hits and a walk in the first inning, thanks to Pedroia grounding into a double play after center fielder Mookie Betts opened with a single.
The Orioles turned another double play in the fourth inning.