Red Sox Blank Orioles 5-0: Giolito Shines, Story Hits Milestone, and Hamilton Breaks Out
It was one of those nights where everything just clicked for Boston. The Red Sox walked into Camden Yards on Tuesday and put together a complete performance, rolling past the Orioles 5-0. From Lucas Giolito’s dominance on the mound to Trevor Story reaching a career milestone, Boston gave its fans plenty to cheer about. Let’s break down the highlights, the moments that mattered, and the vibes surrounding this win.
📌 Lucas Giolito Steals the Show
If you’re talking about this game, you’ve got to start with Lucas Giolito. The right-hander was flat-out untouchable, carving up the Orioles lineup for eight shutout innings. He gave up just four hits, walked only one, and struck out eight. And here’s the kicker—he wasn’t just efficient, he was commanding the game from start to finish.
Fans behind the Red Sox dugout knew they were watching something special. After Giolito struck out Jeremiah Jackson to end the eighth, they rose to their feet, showering him with a standing ovation. It felt like a “welcome back” moment for a pitcher who’s shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career but has been searching for consistency.
And the numbers back it up: 104 pitches, 69 for strikes, and a fastball that sat at 93.9 mph—slightly above his season average. He even touched 96.4 mph on the gun. That heater set up everything else, from his changeup (five swings and misses) to his slider (three whiffs).
This wasn’t just another quality start. It was Giolito’s fourth career outing of at least eight scoreless innings—and the first since his legendary no-hitter back in 2020 with the White Sox. That’s some serious history being revisited right there.
🎤 Alex Cora Saw It Coming
What made this even more interesting is that Alex Cora practically called the performance before the game started. The Red Sox manager emphasized that for Giolito, it’s never really been about velocity anymore—it’s about command.
“When he’s dotting that fastball up in the zone, he’s really good,” Cora said. “It’s about location. If he does that, he can go deeper into games.”
Well, Giolito must’ve taken that pep talk to heart because he executed it to perfection. Half his pitches were fastballs (51%), but the way he located them set the tone for everything else. That’s veteran pitching, and on Tuesday night, it worked like a charm.
💥 Trevor Story Hits the Big 200
While Giolito was busy dominating on the mound, Trevor Story made sure to put his own stamp on the evening. In the second inning, the veteran shortstop launched a 372-foot shot to left field, a no-doubter that gave the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead.
But this wasn’t just any home run—it was his 200th career blast. That’s a milestone every slugger dreams about, and Story did it in style by punishing a hanging slider from Kyle Bradish. It also marked his 21st homer of the season, reminding everyone he’s still got that power stroke locked in.
🚀 David Hamilton’s Big Night
One of the more surprising heroes of the game? David Hamilton. Coming in, the young infielder was batting just .188, and frankly, he hadn’t found much rhythm at the plate. But baseball has a way of flipping the script, and Tuesday was Hamilton’s night.
In the third inning, Hamilton got a hold of a 93.1 mph sinker and sent it 364 feet to right field for his fourth homer of the season. Just like that, Boston had a 2-0 cushion. But he wasn’t done.
Hamilton added a sacrifice bunt in the eighth to move Ceddanne Rafaela—who had doubled to open the inning—over to third. That small-ball move set up another insurance run when Carlos Narváez’s weak dribbler turned into a fielder’s-choice RBI. And in the ninth, Hamilton capped his night with a two-run double that probably should’ve been caught, but fortune was on his side.
For a guy fighting to prove he belongs in the lineup, Hamilton showed a little bit of everything—power, speed, and situational execution. On this road trip alone, he’s 6-for-15 with a triple, homer, walk, steal, and now a double that iced the game.
👏 Respect Where It’s Due: Kyle Bradish’s Return
Even though Boston roughed him up early, Kyle Bradish deserves credit. The Orioles’ righty was making his first start since recovering from Tommy John surgery, and while his box score shows two runs allowed, he actually looked pretty sharp.
Bradish struck out ten Red Sox hitters across six innings, proving that his stuff is still electric. His slider and sinker had bite, and aside from the mistakes to Story and Hamilton, he kept Baltimore in the game. It wasn’t enough to outduel Giolito, but for a first outing back, it was encouraging for the O’s.
⚾️ Little Things Matter
One of the overlooked elements in this game was the way Boston manufactured runs late. They didn’t just rely on the long ball. They mixed in small-ball tactics—like Hamilton’s bunt—and capitalized on defensive miscues, such as Hiraldo’s glove-flip error in the eighth.
That’s the kind of execution that turns a close game into a comfortable win. Good teams find different ways to score, and the Red Sox did exactly that.
🔜 What’s Next?
This was the second game in a four-game set, and with the victory, Boston improved to 73-60 on the season. Baltimore, meanwhile, slipped to 60-72, continuing what has been a tough stretch for them.
The series continues Wednesday night at Camden Yards with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. Brayan Bello (10-6, 3.07 ERA) gets the ball for Boston, while the Orioles have yet to announce their starter. If Bello brings his usual command, Boston will have a strong chance to keep the momentum rolling.
⭐ Takeaways From the Win
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Lucas Giolito looked like his old ace self—eight scoreless innings, 12 whiffs, and total command.
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Trevor Story celebrated a career milestone with home run No. 200.
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David Hamilton had his best all-around game of the season, showing pop, speed, and execution.
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Kyle Bradish’s return for the Orioles offered positives despite the loss.
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The Red Sox mixed long-ball power with small-ball smarts to seal the deal.
At the end of the night, Boston fans left Camden Yards smiling, knowing they had just witnessed a near-perfect performance. The bats delivered, the pitching was dominant, and the defense backed it all up. If the Red Sox are going to keep pushing toward October, games like this one are exactly the blueprint.
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