FORT MYERS, Fla -- Danny Valencia launched a solo homer in the ninth inning off Red Sox reliever Terry Doyle to give the Orioles an 8-7 win over Boston at JetBlue Park on Tuesday afternoon.
The Orioles survived a furious Red Sox rally – Boston scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off relievers Daniel Schereth and Adam Russell – to tie the game at 7.
Valencia, who was acquired from the Red Sox for cash this offseason, then took a full-count pitch from Doyle and hit it over the ballpark's high Green Monster wall in leftfield.
Orioles starter Brian Matusz made a case for the fifth starting rotation spot as he allowed five of the first nine hitters he faced to reach base, but settled to allow just one run on six hits over five innings.
Right hander Kevin Gausman threw two scoreless innings in relief in what could be his final big league outing this spring. He struck out the first two Boston batters he faced, Mike Napoli and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The club will meet before Thursday's night game to decide on the next round of roster cuts.
Shortstop Ryan Flaherty hit a two-run single in the seventh to put the Orioles up 6-1.
In his first road game of the spring, Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts was 1-for-3 with a RBI, a run scores and two stolen bases.
Right hander Daniel McCutchen, who is trying out a new lower arm-slot delivery retired the Red Sox with a scoreless ninth for the save.