The Orioles were forced to go to their bullpen early and the relief corps came through in a big way as they defeated the Red Sox, 5-4, at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon. Baltimore split the four-game series with Boston, while the O's returned to the .500 mark with a 14-14 record.

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“I’m just glad we won the last two games of the series,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We now face a good Tampa club. They are playing great baseball right now. ... I’m not concerned about our record. It’s about how we play. I would like to clean up some things offensively ... but a win is a win. It’s nice to get a split after losing the first two games.”

The bullpen went to work starting in the first inning after Orioles left-hander Wade LeBlanc left the game with left elbow discomfort. In came reliever Tom Eshelman, pitching 4 1/3 innings without allowing a run or a hit. After walking Christian Vázquez, Eshelman retired the next 13 hitters he faced. His breaking ball was fooling the Red Sox the entire time he was on the mound. It helped that he made some mechanical adjustments.

“Tommy won us the game,” Hyde said. “That’s the third time he pitched in five games. And for him to go 4 1/3, he was locating so well. Not a lot of hard contact. It was just a great job of pitching. He did a great job of keeping the score right there for us.”

It was the first time Eshelman ever pitched in long relief. He had seen other guys do it and he felt for them. All he wanted to do was give the Orioles a chance to win.

“I just came in and pounded strikes. I tried to get the team in the dugout real quick,” Eshelman said. “It was an interesting experience for myself.”

Eshelman was on his way to becoming the winning pitcher when the Orioles took the lead in the third inning after Rio Ruiz drove in two runs with a single off lefty Jeffrey Springs. Andrew Velazquez followed with a bunt single that allowed Ryan Mountcastle to score.

The Orioles added to their lead in the seventh when Ruiz drove in two more runs with a double off reliever Robert Stock. Ruiz finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBIs. His production on offense comes at the right time, as he was in a 9-for-56 (.161) slump and had been moved toward the bottom of the lineup.

“It’s frustrating, but I kept working. That’s the best you could do. I was glad I was able to help the team out today,” Ruiz said.

Left-hander Tanner Scott picked up his first save of the season after allowing a two-run homer to Jackie Bradley Jr. in the ninth inning.