Perez works toward role as Sox’s No. 2 starter

BOSTON — Martin Perez would be more concerned hearing such loud contact emanating from opposing bats.

No pitcher wants to give up runs, but the intrasquad format guarantees your teammates will be the ones doing the scoring. That was the case Wednesday afternoon under blue skies at Fenway Park.

Jose Peraza collected four RBI as Perez wobbled through his second outing of Summer Camp. The left-hander was more efficient than his Friday debut, but his five innings of [...]

BOSTON — Martin Perez would be more concerned hearing such loud contact emanating from opposing bats.

No pitcher wants to give up runs, but the intrasquad format guarantees your teammates will be the ones doing the scoring. That was the case Wednesday afternoon under blue skies at Fenway Park.

Jose Peraza collected four RBI as Perez wobbled through his second outing of Summer Camp. The left-hander was more efficient than his Friday debut, but his five innings of work still resulted in coming out on the wrong end of a 5-4 decision.

"I had fun facing my teammates," Perez said. "Our hitters looked good and they gave me more of a chance to work on my pitches and my location and my stuff. It was good today."

The Red Sox visitors did all of their scoring during their first two trips through the lineup. Peraza’s towering two-run homer that cleared the Green Monster by a whisker ultimately made the difference. He also smacked a two-run double off the wall to highlight a three-run rally in the top of the first.

"Our guys came out really swinging the bat well," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. "[Perez] got out of that with some nice changeups, and then the next four were better. He got his pitches in. If he’s working on things, that’s what we need to do."

Perez was charged with a lone walk after issuing four in his last start. He threw 56 of his 78 pitches for strikes, an improvement after finding the zone with just 42 of his 77 pitches last week. Perez retired seven straight during one stretch, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the top of the first.

"Especially with my upper body — trying to stay strong and keep my left arm closed," Perez said. "I felt that today. I’m getting to the point where I want to be. I’ll be ready in two weeks to compete and win games."

Jeffrey Springs allowed one earned run in three innings to put the visiting team in winning position. Mitch Moreland’s RBI single to center in the first was all the hosts could manage against the left-hander, who struck out five against a lone walk. Springs used a 6-3 double play to escape a jam in the second and caught Jonathan Lucroy looking to strand two more runners in the third.

Austin Brice was touched for the remaining three runs put up by the home team. Tzu-Wei Lin tripled down the line in right to lead off the fourth and scored on a wild pitch. Moreland was at it again in the fifth when he lined a two-run single off the wall in left, chasing in J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts.

Christian Vazquez finished with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for the visitors. Moreland singled twice and Martinez cracked a single and a double for the home team. There were a combined eight extra-base hits between the two clubs in a game that lasted just 6½ innings.

"The offense is swinging so well," Roenicke said. "I keep asking, ‘Is our offense just so good? Or are we not pitching as well?’ "

"And maybe it’s a combination of both. But to have this many guys hot this early surprises me."

Perez is likely to open as the de facto No. 2 starter in the rotation with Eduardo Rodriguez (COVID-19) officially on the injured list. The left-hander began last season with a 2.95 earned-run average through his first 11 appearances before being tagged for six earned runs in 2 innings at Tampa Bay. Perez will settle in behind Nathan Eovaldi, who is on track to take the ball in the July 24 opener against the Orioles.

"It’s the same responsibility," Perez said. "You’ve got to go out there and win games. It’s not just the first two guys that need to win all the games."

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25