Since 2011, the Orioles have completely owned the Red Sox. Baltimore (58-48 overall, 30-22 home) is 6-4 against Boston (63-43 overall, 29-24 away) this season but the Red Sox have started to make some progress by winning their first series against the Orioles since July 2011 (following six series losses).
Coming on the heels of last night's 7-3 victory at Camden Yards last night, this afternoon Boston blanked Baltimore 5-0 thanks to Jon Lester's (10-6) best outing of the season to take two out of three this weekend.
Lester went seven innings, allowing only four hits and tying a season-high with eight strikeouts and two walks. Matt Thornton pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Pedro Beato had a 1-2-3 ninth for the shutout.
As they've fallen five games behind the Red Sox for control of the AL East, the O's clearly need to make a move or else they will probably be left in the dust by Boston and Tampa Bay. Baltimore's rotation is a mess and it's hard to see them making the playoffs for the second year in a row with bums like Jason Hammel (7-8) being counted on. Who would have thought that their unexplainable success would tail off a bit?
The Red Sox went up 1-0 in the first inning on Mike Napoli's (2 doubles, run) RBI double. David Ortiz (4 for 4 with 2 runs) hit a two-run homer in the third which gave him 12 straight seasons of 20+ homers (11 w/Boston).
Playing in back-to-back games even though the day game followed a night game, Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2 hits) made Red Sox manager John Farrell look good with a two-run single in the eighth for the 5-0 Boston lead. Jacoby Ellsbury was 2 for 5 with a run in the win.
Rain moved last Thursday's Red Sox-Rays game to Monday night (6:10, NESN)-a mutual off day for both teams-in Boston. Tampa Bay (62-43 overall, 2nd in AL East) lost 6-5 to the Yankees this afternoon so Boston is half a game ahead of the Rays once again. Felix Doubront (7-4) faces David Price (5-5) as the Red Sox go for the series split (2-2). You'll remember Price from his complete game 5-1 win at Fenway last Wednesday.
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