Rick Porcello pitched six strong innings, and Chris Owings put the game away with a pinch-hit, two-run double as the Boston Red Sox beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles 9-1 in the opener of a three-game series Friday.

Porcello (11-9) gave up one run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in one of his strongest efforts of the season. Andrew Benintendi had three hits and fell a home run short of the cycle as the Red Sox won their third straight game.

Jonathan Villar and Chance Sisco had two hits apiece for the Orioles, who fell for the 10th time in their past 11 games.

Boston entered the sixth inning holding a 3-1 lead before J.D. Martinez was hit by pitch and Benintendi singled to begin the frame. After Christian Vazquez laid down a sacrifice bunt and pinch hitter Sam Travis was intentionally walked to load the bases, Owings came off the bench to line his first hit for Boston to left field for a 5-1 advantage.

The Red Sox promoted Owings from Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday. He played 40 games for the Kansas City Royals earlier this season.

Jackie Bradley Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly for a 6-1 margin. Boston added two more in the seventh, and Baltimore put two men on in the eighth but failed to score.

Mookie Betts hit a solo homer over the Green Monster in left-center field in the bottom of the eighth to complete the scoring.

The Red Sox got on the board in the first when Rafael Devers singled home Betts. The Orioles knotted the score in the third on a Trey Mancini RBI double.

Boston took the lead for good in the fourth on an RBI triple from Benintendi. Two batters later, Mitch Moreland hit his first triple since June 2018 when DJ Stewart overran the ball in right field, giving the Red Sox a 3-1 lead.

Aaron Brooks (2-7) fell to 0-4 in seven starts with Baltimore, allowing five runs on eight hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two.

Josh Taylor pitched a perfect seventh inning in relief of Porcello, and Travis Lakins allowed just one hit while tossing two scoreless innings to complete the win.

--Field Level Media