« This Day in Baseball History: May 12th | Home | This Day In Baseball History: May 14th »
Great Scott! Luke Uses Force To Bury Sox, 5-4
By Administrator | May 13, 2008
Outfielder Luke Scott hit his second home run of the season and drove in three runs as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Red Sox 5-4 tonight in Charm City.
Sox ace Josh Beckett had an uncharacteristically rough outing at Camden Yards as he surrendered five runs on eleven hits in 5 2/3 innings (He entered the game with a career record of 4-0, 2.05 in four starts). He was relieved by Manny Delcarmen and David Aardsma, who combined for 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief.
The Orioles benefited from a fine pitching performance from starter Jeremy Guthrie, who allowed three runs (only two earned) in six innings. He was followed by three relievers who threw three innings of one-hit ball… closer George Sherrill recorded the final five outs to record his fourteenth save.
Scott was mired in a 7-for-55 slump before going 3-for-3 against Beckett… he accounted for the biggest blow of the game — a three-run home run in the third inning that gave Baltimore a 5-3 lead.
The Red Sox jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on the strength of three hits and two errors. The Orioles scored a single run on three successive singles in the second inning, and then scored four runs in the third inning on a Kevin Millar rbi-single and Scott’s HR.
Neither team scored again until the Red Sox pushed a run across in the eighth inning… but by that point the Sox had squandered the best threat of the night. They loaded the bases with no one out in the seventh inning on a pair of singles and a walk, but Manny Ramirez grounded into a 1-2-3 double play and Mike Lowell flied out to end the threat without the benefit of a run.
With one out in the eighth inning, the Sox were issued two walks and then Alex Cora singled into right field. Jacoby Ellsbury scored but Jason varitek failed to advance to third base as the throw came into the center of the infield. Varitek, who likely would have scored the tying run when Sean Casey hit a deep fly ball to left field, was left stranded at second base.
George Sherrill came into the game to retire Casey and Dustin Pedroia to end the eighth inning threat, and then retired the Sox in order in the ninth inning to end the game.
The Red Sox went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 baserunners in the game.
———————————-
The Red Sox were without manager Terry Francona, who will miss the two-game series following the death of his mother-in-law. He was replaced by bench coach Brad Mills, now 5-4 when subbing for Francona.
———————————-
The Red Sox are now 1-8 on the road against AL East foes.
———————————-
The teams conclude their brief two game series tomorrow afternoon at 3PM. Jon Lester (2-2) will be opposed by Daniel Cabrera (3-1). The game will be broadcast on NESN and WRKO (680 AM).
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players |
