Jon Lester's Perfect Record Against The Orioles Had To End At Some Point

Until I was reminded of it earlier today, I had almost forgotten about Jon Lester's absurd career record against the Orioles: 14-0 in 20 starts.

It only made sense that in this abomination of a season that Baltimore (86-64, 44-32 away) would finally put an end to that with a 4-2 win against Boston (68-84, 33-44 home) at Fenway Park.

With the Yankees win against the A's, the Orioles kept pace at only one game behind New York for first-place in the AL East.

Miguel Gonzalez (7-4) did the honors as he went 6.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Reliever Darren O'Day pitched 1.2 clean innings and closer Jim Johnson set a new team record with a scoreless ninth for his 46th save of the season.

Lester's (9-13) terrible campaign is almost over. He went seven innings but allowed four earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

Matt Wieters (2 for 4, double, 3 RBIs, run), Adam Jones (2 for 3, double, 2 runs), Mark Reynolds (2 for 4, RBI) and Robert Andino (2 for 2, walk) all had multiple hits for the O's.

Pedro Ciriaco (2 for 4, double, run, RBI), Daniel Nava (2 for 4, double, run) and Scott Podsednik (2 for 4) had two hits apiece for the Red Sox.

Ciriaco's RBI double in third gave Boston a 1-0 lead. Wieters temporarily put Baltimore ahead with a two-run single in the fourth. Dustin Pedroia tied it at two with an RBI single in the fifth. Wieters' RBI double and Reynolds' RBI single in the sixth gave the Orioles the 4-2 advantage that would stick.

I'm pretty sure it is still 2012 but tomorrow afternoon's (1:10 p.m., NESN) pitching matchup is straight out of the National League in like 2006: Aaron Cook (4-10) vs. Randy Wolf (5-10). Be sure not to watch a second of that wretched contest. The weather is supposed to be nice and it's a college football Saturday, what more do you want?

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Red Sox Piss Another Season Down The Drain, Misery Continues In Baltimore

Aaron Cook had a no-hitter entering the sixth inning and the Red Sox led the Orioles 2-0. As quick as you could say, no October baseball at Fenway, Baltimore scored five runs en route to a 5-3 win tonight at Camden Yards.

Boston (57-61, 28-27 away) latest slide all but guarantees that September will be completely meaningless. There is no chance this team will push for a playoff spot, at this point they are going to struggle to finish over .500 and in front of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Baltimore (64-53, 32-28 home) only had six hits but they made them count by going 4 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The Red Sox were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position while they both left six men on base.

The uniquely terrible aspects to this loss for Boston included a throwing error by Cook that led to three runs plus the ejections of Adrian Gonzalez and Bobby Valentine. After Pedro Strop quick pitched Gonzo in the eighth then got him to ground out, the normally church mouse quiet first baseman sort of showed some emotion. Valentine came out to defend him/fire up his worthless team but you can see from the final score how that went.

Cook (3-6) went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on three hits with one strikeout and three walks.

Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez (5-2) went six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Baltimore's bullpen locked it down, especially Strop who had a 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts for his 20th hold and closer Jim Johnson who notched his 35th save with a clean ninth including a strikeout.

Jacoby Ellsbury's (2 hits) RBI double and Carl Crawford's sacrifice fly scored Nick Punto (2 runs) staked the Red Sox to a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning.

The Orioles sixth included an RBI single by Nate McLouth, Adam Jones grounded into a fielder's choice and Cook threw the ball away which allowed J.J. Hardy to score, Matt Wieters had an RBI double and Mark Reyonlds ended it with a two-run double.

All Boston could muster after Baltimore's big sixth inning was an RBI ground out by Crawford in the seventh.

Clay Buchholz (10-3) is all that stands in the way of a three-game sweep by the Orioles tomorrow night (7:05 p.m., NESN) as he takes on Chris Tillman (5-2). The only question is how will the Red Sox find a new and different way to lose?

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