Bogaerts hit in 9th sends BoSox past O's

Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Xander Bogaerts singled home Mike Napoli with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as Boston clipped Baltimore, 3-2, in the opener of a four-game set from Fenway Park.

Ryan Hanigan slugged a two-run shot for the Red Sox, while Bogaerts finished with a pair of hits.

Koji Uehara (1-0) struck out two in a scoreless top of the frame.

Caleb Joseph went deep for the Orioles, who extended their major-league best home run total to 16 in defeat.

Brian Matusz (0-1) walked three and was charged with the deciding run in his 1 1/3 relief frames.

Matusz worked out of trouble in the bottom of the eighth, inducing a double- play grounder from Pablo Sandoval with two on.

He walked Napoli to kick off the hosts' final at-bat, and Daniel Nava sacrificed him to second before Tommy Hunter served up the pitch that Bogaerts served into right which ended the contest.

"When you're going bad, you don't get anything like that to happen," said Bogaerts, who raised his average to .382.

Baltimore got on the board in the fourth, as singles from Travis Snider and Adam Jones placed runners on the corners and a double-play grounder by Chris Davis brought in Snider.

Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez was ousted in the home half with two away by home-plate umpire Jordan Baker after hitting Sandoval on the shoulder. Kevin Gausman entered to retire Napoli on a grounder to end the frame.

"It was my first one. I was shocked," Jimenez said of getting the heave "He's a good hitter and I'm trying to go inside."

Joseph kicked off the fifth by clearing the low wall in right in front of the bullpen, but the Sox came back in the home portion as Bogaerts singled with one down and Hanigan followed by clearing the Green Monster.

Game Notes

The Red Sox began a stretch of seven consecutive series and 22 consecutive games against AL East opponents...This stretch ends when the Sox visit Oakland on May 11 ... The Sox dropped 11 of 19 meetings with the O's last season, losing 7 of 10 at Fenway ... Boston starter Joe Kelly was lifted after 5 2/3 innings and 118 pitches, having allowed two runs on four hits ... Jimenez failed to surrender a hit but walked three over his 3 2/3-inning stint.