Red Sox seek turnaround against Orioles

The Boston Red Sox are trying to find their 2018 form, and they still haven't been able to do it. But they banged out five home runs in a come-from-behind victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday and hope to play like that against the Orioles when a weekend series starts in Baltimore on Friday.

Boston struggled on its homestand that just ended with the 7-6 victory Thursday, a game where the Red Sox put on their power display. The biggest homer was a solo shot from Xander Bogaerts in the seventh that broke a 6-6 tie and gave them the win.

The Red Sox lost five of eight on this just-completed homestand but did win the final two so they could split the four-game series with Texas.

Boston manager Alex Cora said before the game that the solution to his team's problems is rather simple: Find more success.

"I think we've been on the stage the whole season," he told MLB.com. "We're the world champs, so maybe there's another stage. I don't know. We know who we are. We know where we're at. Like we've been saying all along, we've just got to play better."

The Red Sox got off to a great start in 2018, one that carried them to the World Series title, but they're just two games over .500 now. Boston started poorly this year, has run into trouble in different areas and never climbed out of that early hole.

MLB.com reported that Steve Pearce (lower back strain) is going to begin a rehab assignment on Friday. Also, the site said that pitcher Brian Johnson could be activated this weekend and even start a game while Hector Velazquez might begin a rehab assignment in the next few days.

Eduardo Rodriguez (6-4, 5.00) is going to start for Boston on Friday, and the Orioles had not named a starter as of late Thursday. Andrew Cashner had been expected to pitch but blister issues have pushed him back a few days.

Rodriguez has won two of his last three starts and has a career record of 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA against the Orioles.

Baltimore might need to make a roster move for a pitcher.

The Orioles had some problems on the injury front on Thursday in addition to their issues in a 12-3 loss to Toronto.

Baltimore's shaky bullpen fell apart and gave up nine runs in the last four innings, including six in a seven-run sixth inning, as the Blue Jays blew the game open.

The Orioles have been getting good starting pitching in recent days, including five-plus innings from Gabriel Ynoa (three runs), before the bullpen fell apart Thursday. One problem for Baltimore is that it can't seem to get the starting and relief pitching together at the same time.

Manager Brandon Hyde told the media that Mark Trumbo, trying to come back from knee surgery, got a PRP injection to try and combat the soreness that recently popped up. Trumbo now likely will need to be down for 7-10 days, if not more.

"We want to let it rest, let it heal, and hopefully he'll be back on track after that," Hyde said on MLB.com. "He'll be out a little while longer."

Also, Hyde told the media that outfielder DJ Stewart (sprained ankle) might not be ready when eligible to come off the injured list on June 16 but is improving daily.

Dwight Smith Jr. was scheduled to take batting practice for the first time since going on the 7-day concussion IL. If all goes well, Hyde said, the outfielder could return in the upcoming days.

--Field Level Media