Koji Uehara was nearly perfect on Saturday, easily retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning and earning the win as the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in the first game of their double header.
With the score tied 2-2, Uehara (4-2) came on in relief of Red Sox ace Jon Lester at Fenway Park. After two days off, Uehara had better-than-normal velocity on his heater, and the 39-year-old made the most of it: striking out two of the Orioles' most dangerous hitters swinging with his fastball instead of his trademark splitter.
"I was thinking (the fastball) was a good way to go because I'd had two days off," Uehara said.