Rookie: Red Sox ‘played The Way Ac (alex Cora) Would Want Us To Play’

BALTIMORE — Red Sox players arrived at Camden Yards on Sunday morning still processing the stunning news of manager Alex Cora’s firing, which happened Saturday evening.

A brief meeting with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow left veterans Trevor Story and Garrett Whitlock dissatisfied with his explanation on why Cora and five other coaches were fired. Story was intent on getting a further explanation in the coming hours.

But for rookie starter Connelly Early, he needed to focus on the game because it was his start day. Early locked in and posted the longest start of his big league career to lead the Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Orioles.

“Obviously, a bit of a shock for everybody,” Early said. “In the past 24 hours, it’s been a whirlwind.”

Early pitched 6 ⅔ innings, allowing two runs, four hits, two solo home runs and one walk while striking out four. The 24-year-old’s previous career high was six innings, which came against the Twins in Minnesota on April 15.

“We talked within the team before the game and just wanted to go out there and play baseball and support each other,” Early said. “So I think we did a really good job today, played some really good baseball and played the way AC would want us to play.”

Early threw 32 four-seam fastballs, averaging 94.1 mph and topping out at 97.3 mph. He induced four swings and misses with the heater. He also recorded three swings and misses with his curveball and one with his slider.

“I just think we played really good baseball,” Early said. “We played hard baseball today. We stole some bags, got some really big knocks in there, pitched the ball really well. So that’s the way AC wants us to go out there and play. And I think we did a really good job just sticking with what we do.”

The Red Sox were aggressive — a style Cora preferred. Caleb Durbin recorded two stolen bases while Jarren Duran and Marcelo Mayer each had one.

Interim manager Chad Tracy had high praise for Early.

“He was awesome,” Tracy said. “He was really, really good. He fell behind in some counts ... Kind of midway point of the game, he was falling behind, but he got back in counts really quickly, attacked the zone. He had some three-ball counts that I felt like he won. Instead of a walk, got a strikeout, which was awesome. And he pitched deep in the game.”

Early said despite all the chaos over the past 24 hours, it felt like just another start for him.

“Just another game,” he said. “Sometimes can’t let stuff get personal. Just got to go out there — and baseball is sometimes a business thing. So just knowing that we had each other’s backs and supporting each other along the way, it’s really big. So just want to go out there and play good baseball.”

More Red Sox coverage

• Is Jason Varitek still with the Red Sox? Here’s the latest
• Red Sox ace feels guilt over Alex Cora firing: ‘Ultimately, I blame myself a lot’
• Joe Mazzulla makes heartfelt admission after Red Sox fire Alex Cora
• Chad Tracy recounts a ‘whirlwind’ weekend: A surprise phone call, a sleepless night and first MLB win
• Red Sox reactions: Chad Tracy earns win in MLB managerial debut after two decades in minors as a player and coach

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