Luke Scott three-run HR gives O's 5-4 win over Sox
Luke Scott's three-run homer in the third off Josh Beckett gave the Orioles a 5-3 lead and they went on to a 5-4 win over the Red Sox, in front of 38,768 Tuesday night. Scott went 3-4 and hit his first homer since April 8th.
The O's bullpen got some huge late outs as Jiim Johnson got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 7th and George Sherrill got five outs to record his 14th save.
The O's beat Josh Beckett who allowed a season-high 11 hits and five runs in 5.2 ip. Jeremy Guthrie got the win.
Daniel Cabrera faces Jon Lester Wednesday at 3:05 to wrap up the two-game set.
SCOTT THREE-RUN HOMER LEADS O'S PAST BOSTON, 5-4
Luke Scott hit a three-run homer off Josh Beckett and the O's got some key outs late from their bullpen to beat the Red Sox, 5-4 Tuesday night, in front of 38,768 at Camden Yards.
The O's beat Beckett, as he allowed a season-high 11 hits and five runs in 5.2 ip, falling to 4-3.
Boston took a 3-0 lead in the first on three hits and two O's errors.
Jay Payton's RBI single in the second made it 3-1 and the O's rocked Beckett with a four-run third. Kevin Millar singled in a run before Scott's blast over the right-field scoreboard made it 5-3.
Jim Johnson pitched out of a bases-loaded, no out jam in the 7th getting Manny Ramirez to hit into a double play. George Sherrill got a save, including getting two key outs in the 8th to end a Sox rally.
Winning pitcher Jeremy Guthrie improved to 2-3. He gave up 2er on 8 hits over 6 frames. He fanned seven and threw 115 pitches.
The O's improve to 20-19 while Boston, losing for the four time in five games, is 24-18.
In the final game of this series, Wednesday at 3:05pm, Daniel Cabrera faces Jon Lester.
POST-GAME NOTES
A LOT OF STARS TONIGHT
It took a lot to win this game. Jermey Guthrie showing poise after his defense failed him in the first. Luke Scott hitting his first homer in over a month and maybe the Orioles biggest homer so far this year. Jim Johnson wins an epic 10-pitch duel with Manny Ramirez. George Sherrill has to get not three, but five outs on 23 pitches for his 14th save. The crowd rocked for both teams at times. It might have been one of the best games to watch in years at this park. Of course that comes from an Orioles fan perspective.
GUTHRIE WAS GUTTY
Whether it was the right decision to send Guthrie out for the 7th inning after he had thrown 107 tough pitches is debatable. But I love the fact he wanted the ball in that spot and said they'd have to take it out of his hand before he would leave. That's the bulldog mentality of an ace.
After giving up three hits in the first, he gave up just three more in the second thru sixth to keep the O's in the lead.
ANOTHER EARL WEAVER SPECIAL
Three run homers are like an interception for a TD in football. They can be game-changing swings and tonight's blast off Luke Scott's bat was. It gave the O's the lead they would not give up and got Camden rocking. Scott went just 4-22 on the road trip and this might get his bat back to life as well.
Four of the last five O's homers have been three-run shots after they didn't have any thru the team's first 32 homers this season.
BEATING BECKETT
Before tonight, Beckett was 4-0 with an ERA of 2.05 in four Camden Yards starts. But he allowed a season-high 11 hits and it ties for the second most allowed in his career. He also gave up 11 on August 3, 2006 vs. Cleveland. His career high is 13 hits allowed at Yankee Stadium on August 29, 2007.
He entered with a batting average against of .204 but tonight the O's went 11-27 vs. him for an average of .407.
ESTABLISHING CRED
This win gives the O's more credibility. They are now 3-1 this season vs. the Yankees and Red Sox and need to show those clubs they will not be their whipping boys anymore. It doesn't mean there's any chaning of the guard in the AL East and you can't overhype this one win, but it sure seemed like it meant a lot.
KEY QUOTES
Trembley on the win
"Guthrie epitomizes what tonight was all about, he was very mentally tough and showed his grit.........Everyone learned a bit more about the Baltimore Orioles tonight........Johnson pounded the strike zone and kept pounding it, that was the key play of the game........We brought Sherrill in the 8th because you have to do what you have to do to win."
Kevin Millar on the win
"Man this team really competes, to come back vs. Josh Beckett. No one got down after the first inning......Johnson has been unbelievable he has a lot of confidence.....The bullpen is a big difference in our club this year......We won the game right there, Johnson vs. Manny."
Jim Johnson on his 10-pitch battle with Manny Ramirez
"I got him out on a two-seamer that ran in on him a little bit. That's why he's a good hitter, he spoils good pitches, you can't get frustrated having a long at bat like that."
Luke Scott on the feeling after he hit his three-run HR
"That feeling, there is nothing like it. It's the greatest high you can ever have. It's what makes this game so worth it, moments like that. Words can't describe it. The only way you can describe it is if you live it, it's unbelievable."
Steve Melewski's live GameBlog
INJURY UPDATE
ANOTHER STRANGE STAT
With that blast by Luke Scott, the O's now have four three-run HR's this season. Boston has just two.
LUUUUKKKKKEEE GOES DEEP, CAMDEN ROCKS
O's 5 Sox 3....end of third
Luke Scott just picked a nice time for his second Orioles homer. His three-run shot over the scoreboard in right gives the O's a 5-3 lead on Beckett. Scott hit a 1-0 pitch for his blast, his first homer since April 8th vs. Texas.
Roberts and Bynum singled to start the third. Then Beckett got Markakis and Huff to strike out and almost got out of the inning. But Kevin Millar ripped a single to left to make it 3-2 before Scott's big fly.
This ties Beckett's season high for runs allowed. He gave up five in 4.2 ip on April 6 vs. Toronto.
Tonight's crowd may be the biggest of the year since opening day.
GETTING CLOSER
Bost 3 O's 2......end of three
The O's
PAYTON AND O'S GET ONE BACK
Bost 3 O's 1.......end of two
With two outs in the second, the O's got three straight singles to get on the board. Jay Payton's rbi single made it 3-1 Boston. Payton is now 9-22 in his career vs. Beckett and was not in the lineup until Mora's pre-game injury.
SOX STRIKE FIRST
Bost 3 O's 0............middle of first
The Sox take an early lead with the help of two costly O's errors. Crisp led off with a single and one out later David Ortiz looped one into left, just fair and it went for a double, putting runners on second and third.
Manny Ramirez singled on a 3-2 pitch for a 1-0 lead. Runners on first and third. Then Mike Lowell hit a shoulder high hopper to third that had the look of an inning-ending double play and Huff, a late replacement at third for the injured Mora, booted it for a 2-0 lead.
Later in the inning, Kevin Millar let a JD Drew grounder go thru his legs for an error scoring a third run. The Sox got about 5 outs there. With Beckett going, is this game over already ? What a terrible start by the Orioles.
PLAY BALL !!!!
Game one of the brief two-game series with the Red Sox is underway. Here's a strange stat. Boston is just 1-7 this year in AL East road games. They are 8-9 overall vs. the East.
First pitch was thrown by Jeremy Guthrie at 7:06pm and its 75 degrees.
Boston outscored the Birds 102-69 last season as David Ortiz hit .344-5-17 vs. Baltimore pitching.
The O's have been good at home so far this year, winning 10 of 16 games.
Though they were shutout in their most recent game, the Orioles offense started to pick up in Kansas City as the O's won 3 of 4 there to complete a 4-6 road trip.
The Red Sox come to Baltimore after losing three of four in Minnesota, dropping their record to 24-17. With Tampa winning again Monday, the Rays are now just a half-game out of first. The O's are in third, 3.5 games back of Boston.
The Sox began the season with a record of 15-7, but are 9-10 since. The Sox have been tremendous on offense, leading the AL in runs, batting average, hits, extra-base hits and slugging. Their team batting average of .294 leads the major leagues. As of Monday, no other AL team had an average better than .266
Over their last 11 games, Boston is hitting .335 as a team with 73 runs, 36 doubles and 17 homers. They scored five runs or more ten straight games until they got just three last night at Minnesota. They have scored eight runs or more eight times this season.
The Red Sox are 4-4 on their current 10-game road trip and are 10-12 in road games this season.
PRE-GAME NOTES FROM CAMDEN YARDS
O'S LINEUP CHANGE
Melvin Mora took a ball off his shoulder in pre-game drills and has been scratched from the lineup tonight. Freddie Bynum moves up where Mora was due to hit, second in the order. Jay Payton will enter the lineup and bat 8th with Quiroz dropped to ninth.
TONIGHT'S LINEUPS
The Orioles
2B Brian Roberts (.257-3-15)
3B Melvin Mora (.252-5-21)
RF Nick Markakis (.267-7-17)
DH Aubrey Huff (.262-6-23)
1B Kevin Millar (.234-5-19)
LF Luke Scott (.264-1-10)
CF Adam Jones (.223-2-11)
C Guillermo Quiroz (.194-1-3)
SS Freddie Bynum (.313-0-0)
P Jeremy Guthrie (1-3 4.32)
The Red Sox
CF Coco Crisp (.314-2-10)
2B Dustin Pedroia (.304-1-20)
DH David Ortiz (.240-7-29)
LF Manny Ramirez (.304-8-26)
3B Mike Lowell (.278-3-9)
1B Kevin Youkilis (.322-8-30)
RF JD Drew (.301-3-17)
C Jason Varitek (.252-3-14)
SS Alex Cora (.727-0-0)
P Josh Beckett (4-2 3.70)
INJURY UPDATE
As you can see above, Brian Roberts is back in the starting lineup. Dave Trembley said he's been bothered by sore knees lately in addition to his foot injury. Tonight he will try to hit his way out of a 6-34 slump.
Catcher Ramon Hernandez is not starting tonight. He got an injection yesterday for his sprained left wrist and will not swing a bat today. He could catch in an emergency. He is listed as day to day.
Ramon told reporters he should be fine in a couple of days and that it bothers him more at bat than catching. He said he first started feeling pain about two weeks ago. He had an MRI yesterday that came thru fine.
ROTATION UPDATE
The Orioles are, for a short time, going to go with a four-man rotation, that does not include Steve Trachsel. After Daniel Cabrera starts tomorrow, this weekend vs. the Nationals the O's will pitch in order Olson, Burres and Guthrie Sunday.
Trembley was asked if Trachsel would work out of the bullpen.
"He's available out of the pen, but he's only done it one time (in his career). I'm not so sure I'm going to ask him to do that unless it's an emergency situation. After we get thru Sunday we may have another adjustment in our rotation."
That is expected to be the O's putting a right-hander, likely Trachsel, between Olson and Burres.
DAVE TREMBLEY'S PRE-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
The skipper said when the O's go to Tampa May 23rd both Chris Ray and Adam Loewen will join the club and throw side sessions in front of pitching coach Rick Kranitz. After the O's see Loewen throw on the side they might send him on a rehab assignment. Ray, of course, remains a long way from re-joining the club.
O's minor league catching instructor Don Werner has joined the club this week. Werner will be the bullpen coach this Friday and Saturday and pen coach Alan Dunn will move into the dugout for those two games. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz will miss those days as his daugthter graduates from college.
Trembley was asked about Brian Roberts recent struggles. He batted just .152 on the road trip, dropping his average from .282 to .252.
"When he hits it hard they catch it right now. There's a lot of focus on him because of what he means to this club. He's had some aches and pains, his legs were sore, his knees were sore and his foot was bothering him. He may have started to press a little and swing at some pitches he should not have. But he's a proven player, one of the premier leadoff hitters in the game."
Trembley said Randor Bierd has not yet begun a throwing program. Bierd, on the DL since May 2 with right shoulder impingement, is going thru a strengthening program right now. He should start throwing soon.
Trembley was asked about the challenge of facing Josh Beckett.
"Let's hope it rains and we're ahead after five. Hope he's not on his A game, maybe A minus. We have to be at our best every pitch and not give away outs and at bats. Maybe we can get his pitch count up. You never know, he may not be at his best tonight, that's why it's a great game. Otherwise it could be a long night."
TONIGHT'S PITCHERS
Orioles righty Jeremy Guthrie tonight makes his 9th start of the season and 4th at home. He is 1-3 4.32 ERA despite producing five quality starts already.
Guthrie has not fared well in Camden Yards starts in 2008. In three home starts he is 0-1 4.91 and has allowed 4 homers in 18.1 innings. He gives up a batting average of .288 at home compared to just .215 in road outings.
In his last start, last Wednesday at Oakland, he gave up four runs in 5.2 ip. The Orioles are 3-5 when he starts.
Guthrie can sometimes start slowly and he gives up more hits in the first than any other inning. Opponents bat .343 (12-35) vs. the righty in the opening inning.
Most of Guthrie's career outings (3 of 4) came last season vs. Boston when he was 0-0 with an ERA of 2.41. His careers numbers vs. Boston: 0-0 2.61 ERA in 20.2 ip.
The 2003 World Series MVP, Josh Beckett tonight makes his 7th start of the season for Boston. He is 4-2 3.70 on the season. Beckett will turn 28 this Thursday.
In his last start, Thursday vs. Detroit, he allowed just one run on six hits in seven innings with no walks and eight strikeouts.
Beckett's 55 wins since the start of the 2005 is second best in the majors, back of only Brandon Webb, who has 56.
Beckett was the second pick overall in the 1999 draft by Florida and has made a name for himself somewhat on his post-season success. In 9 career post-season starts, he is 6-2 1.73.
Beckett has won his last two starts vs. the Orioles and is 4-1 2.95 in six career starts vs. Baltimore. He is unbeaten in four career Camden Yards starts, at 4-0 2.05 (7er - 30.2 ip). He has pitched at least eight innings in three of six career starts vs. the O's.
HOW SOME O'S HITTERS FARE VS. BECKETT
Jay Payton: 8-21
Nick Markakis: 6-17, HR
Aubrey Huff: 5-21, 7 K's
Brian Roberts: 5-17
Kevin Millar: 2-11
Melvin Mora: 4-13, HR
Ramon Hernandez: 6-23, 3 doubles
ORIOLES HITTERS ON THE ROAD TRIP
Bynum: 5-16
LHernandez: 6-24
RHernandez: 7-27, 3 rbi
Huff: 11-40, HR, 4 rbi
Jones: 3-32
Markakis: 9-37, 3 HR's, 6 rbi
Millar: 10-34, HR, 7 rbi
Mora: 12-38, 2 HR's, 7 rbi
Payton: 4-19
Quiroz: 1-9
Roberts: 6-34, 9 K's
Scott: 4-22, 2 rbi
MANNY AND YOUK
Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the first inning Monday at Minnesota. He now has 498 career homers, needing just two to become the 24th member of the 500-homer club. He has hit just two homers in his last 20 games. He's been bothered lately by a sore right hamstring and didn't start Sunday, but was back in the lineup last night.
Manny career numbers vs. Baltimore:
180 games .312--31--144 with 34 doubles, 111 runs, .513 slugging.
Kevin Youkilis did not start last night, he was apparently just given a rest. But he is the Sox current hottest hitter with a 9-game batting streak during which he is batting .421 (16-38) with 11 runs, 5 doubles, 6 homers and 15 RBI. He has hit six homers in his last eight games.
Leave a comment