Liz allows 9 runs, Boston hammers the O's, 14-2
For the Orioles another night of poor pitching and another loss.
The Red Sox led 10-1 after four innings, banged out 20 hits and routed the Orioles 14-2 to claim the first two games in this series.
The O's are 0-5 on this road trip and have been outscored 55-22. The O's fall 12 games under .500 with their 10th loss in the last 11 games.
Starter Radhames Liz allowed nine runs, all earned, in just 3 1/3 as his ERA rose to 7.91. O's starters have pitched to an ERA of 14.35 on this trip.
Dustin Pedroia knocked in five and David Ortiz four for the Sox, who have won 10 of their last 14 games and improved to 47-19 at home.
The 12-run margin made it the Orioles' most lopsided loss of the season. Boston's 20 hits tied an O's opponent high for the year and the 14 runs was one short of the season's worst mark.
The Red Sox concluded their scoring on Jed Lowrie's sac fly in the 8th. That put Boston ahead 14-1. Alex Cintron's RBI double in the 9th gave the O's their second run.
Boston broke the game with a 6-run 4th to lead 10-1. The inning featured a David Ortiz two-run double and Dustin Pedroia three-run homer. O's starter Radhames Liz allowed 9 runs in 3 1/3 innings. Lowrie added an RBI double in the 5th for an 11-1 lead. The Sox added two more in the 7th to lead 13-1.
The Orioles scored once in the fourth to trail, 4-1. Aubrey Huff led off with an infield hit and advanced to third on a Ramon Hernandez double. Huff scored on Kevin Millar's sac fly. The O's then stranded two runners in that inning.
The Red Sox used a bunt single and two walks to load the bases in the third. Then they unloaded them for a 3-0 lead. Ortiz scored a pair with a two-run double and Pedroia added a sac fly. With two outs, Mark Kotsay's double scored Ortiz to give Boston a 4-0 edge.
Balt 2-8-0
Bos 14-20-0
Postgame Notes
The O's have allowed in order - 14, 10, 10, 7 and 14 runs for a total of 55 in losing all five games on this trip........O's pitchers have also allowed 68 hits, 43 walks and 7 homers on this trip......The starters have pitched a total of 21 1/3 to an ERA of 14.35 on this trip.
Radhames Liz allowed nine runs in just 3 1/3 after not allowing a run the first two innings.....In two starts this year vs. Boston he has pitched a total of 5 2/3 frames, giving up 15 hits and 17 ER for an ERA of 27.00......The 20 hits allowed ties the most by an O's opponent this year as Texas had 20 on August 10th.....Texas scored an opponent season-high 15 runs that night as well.....O's pitching has retired the side in order just four times in five games on the trip.
Boston had six players with multi-hit games and three with multi-RBI nights.....The Sox have won 7 of 9, 10 of 14 and 17 of 25 games....Boston is 20-9 since August first.
Aubrey Huff went 1-2 tonight with an infield single and now has 11 hits his last 22 at bats and 19 hits his last 41 at bats.....Nick Markakis was 1-3 and is 7-14 his last four games.........Oscar Salazar made a start at third base and went 0-2 with two walks.....The O's fall to 6-11 vs. Boston and 17-27 since the All-Star game.
Winning pitcher Jon Lester is now 13-5, 3.37.....He is 3-0, 2.70 this year vs. the O's and in his career vs. Baltimore is 6-0, 2.81 in 8 starts.....On the MASN O's Xtra postgame show, Dave Trembley said Lance Cormier would start Wednesday afternoon at Fenway.
Steve Melewski's Live GameBlog
Aberdeen's Good Pitching
We found some good pitching in the O's system tonight - at Aberdeen. The IronBirds regular season is still going and, at home tonight, Aberdeen beat Brooklyn 5-1 as three pitchers combined on a four-hitter. Starter Cole McCurry, now 8-3, gave up just two hits over six. Ryan O'Shea pitched two and Brandon Cooney came on in the 9th. Tyler Kolody and Kraig Binick homered for the Birds. Those pitchers by the way combined for 11 strikeouts and just two walks.
More on the Pitching
On the five games of this trip the O's starters have pitched in order - 3, 4 1/3, 5, 5 2/3 and 3 1/3 innings. Through the sixth of tonight's game, O's opponents have scored at least one in 22 of 40 at bats. O's pitching has retired the side in order just four times on this trip. The O's have now allowed 7 or more runs on every game of this trip, 34 times on the season and 14 times since August first.
Horrible Pitching
Liz tonight: 3 1/3 IP, 9H, 9R-ER, 3BB, 2K.......75 pitches.
Liz's ERA is up to 7.91. In two starts this year vs. Boston, he has allowed 17ER in 5 2/3 innings. I'm not kidding. It would be hard to be much worse.
O's starters this road trip: 21 1/3IP, 39H, 34ER......ERA of 14.35.
What's left to be said.
Millar Note
His sac fly in the 4th plated the O's first run of the night and was his 71st RBI. That's the 4th highest total of his career and his most as an Oriole. It's his highest RBI total since he drove in 74 with the Red Sox in 2004.
Millar, Bost - 2005, 50 RBI
Millar, Balt - 2006, 64 RBI
Millar, Balt, 2007, 63 RBI
Terrible Call
This is what's wrong with baseball's replay system. They are going to use it on home runs call, what, once a month. And on the play at the plate just now where everyone can see Ramon Hernandez was safe, Jim Joyce's out call stands. It's a little embarrasing for Ramon he was thrown out at the plate on about a 4-hop throw by Ellsbury. Also, I didn't think you could block the plate, UNTIL YOU HAD THE BALL. I could be wrong but Varitek put a major block on that plate. Still, Ramon's hand got in there and the ump didn't see it. Replays did though.
AL Doubles Leaders (Through Monday)
46 - Brian Roberts, Bal
44 - Aubrey Huff, Bal
42 - Nick Markakis, Bal
42 - Dustin Pedroia, Bos
The O's trio is trying to become the first in the history of Major League Baseball to have 50 doubles in the same season. Only in ten years in the history of the game have their been three players with 50 or more on any team. All three O's could break the team record of 50 doubles co-held by Roberts in 2004 and Miguel Tejada in 2005.
Huff Honored
For the third time in his career, Aubrey Huff has been named the American League Player of the Week. He wins it for the period ending last Sunday. During that week he went 11-23 with 4 doubles, 2 homers and 7 RBI. It's the second time this year he has won this award, also July 6th. His first-ever AL honor was on August 1, 2005 with Tampa. Over his last ten games, Huff is 18-39 with 3 homers and 11 RBI. He has 7 multi-hit games in his last ten contests.
Play Ball
Tonight's game is underway in Boston. The O's will try to beat Jon Lester for the first time ever and stop their 4-game slide. Check back during tonight's game for the latest O's news and updates.
Trembley's Talk
Dave Trembley told reporters in Boston this afternoon that Jeremy Guthrie will not make his start on Wednesday in Boston due to a tired arm. He expects Guthrie to miss just one start and then start early in the Cleveland series that begins next Monday.
Trembley said beginning with his next outing Guthrie would likely start every six days and not every five.
"His shoulder is tired, his arm is tired," Trembley said. "There is no need for any MRI's or X-Rays or anything like that. It's kind of a like a dead arm period you see in spring training. There is a not a lot of zip on his pitches right now."
Guthrie has lost his last three starts and has allowed 12ER in 9 2/3 over his last two starts.
Trembley said he won't know his starter for Wednesday until he gets through tonight's game. But he did say it will not be a player called up from the minors.
Trembley said the rotation this weekend vs. Oakland will be in order - Chris Waters, Garrett Olson and Daniel Cabrera. That means Olson in the day game Saturday and Cabrera in the nightcap of that day-night twin bill.
Starting Lineups
Orioles
2B Brian Roberts
CF Adam Jones
RF Nick Markakis
DH Aubrey Huff
C Ramon Hernandez
1B Kevin Millar
3B Oscar Salazar
LF Lou Montanez
SS Juan Castro
P Radhames Liz
Red Sox
LF Jacoby Ellsbury
3B Jed Lowrie
DH David Ortiz
2B Dustin Pedroia
RF Mark Kotsay
C Jason Varitek
1B Jeff Bailey
SS Alex Cora
CF Coco Crisp
P Jon Lester
Game Preview
Orioles (63-74) at Boston (80-57)
The Orioles, who are winless on their current road trip, tonight look to break into that win column in the second game of their series in Boston. The O's have been outscored 41-20 and are 0-4 on this trip.
Monday night, Boston scored four in the 6th to take the lead and beat the Orioles, 7-4. Dustin Pedroia and Jed Lowrie had 2 RBI each for the Sox, who have won 6 of 8 and 16 of their last 24 games.
Boston is 5 games out in the AL East, behind Tampa, but is 3 games ahead of Minnesota and Chicago in the Wild Card race.
Winning pitcher Paul Byrd went 7 innings as Boston improved to 19-9 since August first and 46-19 at home on the season.
Kevin Millar, Juan Castro and Adam Jones hit solo homers for the Orioles, who fell to 20-38 in games vs. the AL East. Aubrey Huff had a double in four at bats and is 10-20 over his last five games.
Pitching Match-Up
RHP Radhames Liz (5-3, 6.95) tonight will make his 13th start of the season, his 6th on the road and his second this year vs. the Boston Red Sox.
Liz was with Triple-A Norfork from late July until August 22nd and in four starts with the Tides then, went 2-2, 2.67.
In two starts since rejoining the O's, Liz is 1-0, 4.50. In those outings vs. the White Sox and Yankees he has pitched 10 innings giving up 5 ER on 12 hits with 3 homers.
On the season the righty has pitched 57 innings, giving up 64 hits including 15 home runs. Right-handed batters hit .281 vs. Liz and lefties bat .297. The Orioles are 7-5 when he has started.
Liz pitches 1-25: .317 batting average
Liz pitches 26-50: .250 batting average
Liz, who has recorded just one quality start all year, is 2-1, 8.69 in five road starts. In four second-half starts, he is 2-1, 5.91
Liz vs. Boston:
2008: 0-1, 30.90, one start (July 12 pitches 2 1/3, 6H, 8R-ER, 3 HR's)
2007: 0-0, 6.00, one start
Career: 0-1, 16.88, two starts (5 1/3 IP, 10H, 10ER, 4 homers)
LHP Jon Lester (12-5, 3.41) tonight makes his 29th start of the season, his 14th at home and his 5th this season vs. Baltimore.
Lester, who has pitched two shutouts this year, most recently faced the Orioles on August 18th and got the win, allowing just one run and four hits over seven innings.
The 24-year-old pitched a no-hitter May 19th vs. Kansas City. He walked two and fanned nine in that game. On July 3rd, Lester pitched a 5-hit shutout vs. the Yankees, needing just 105 pitches with 8 strikeouts.
Lester pitched to an ERA of 4.34 in August. In 8 second-half starts he is 5-2, 3.48 after pitching to an ERA of 3.38 before the All-Star game.
Lefty batters hit just .220 off Lester while he gives up a batting average of .281 vs. right-handed batters. The Sox are 18-10 when he takes the mound.
In 13 home starts, Lester, who is 11th in the AL in ERA, is 7-1, 2.93.
Lester vs. the Orioles:
2008: 2-0, 2.88, four starts, 25 IP
2007: 2-0, 1.38, two starts
Career: 5-0, 2.93 in seven starts, 43 IP
Orioles Hitters - How They Fared in August
Castro: .213-0-11
Cintron: .263-0-0
Hernandez: .276-2-16
Huff: .345-8-26
Markakis: .355-3-23
Millar: .222-3-15
Montanez: .333-1-6
Mora: .418-8-32
Payton: .277-1-7
Quiroz: .080-0-1
Roberts: .345-2-17
Scott: .326-3-12
Seriously. Can Gary Thorne suck up anymore to the Boston Red Sox? I miss Jim Palmer. I love Buck Martinez but seriously. He needs to put a leash on Gary. I thought the pitching was disgusting the other day. His commentary is awful. I'd rather hear him ramble on about playing hockey in New England. Anyone catch if he know who we're playing this weekend?
I wish I got the radio broadcast clearly so I could mute him.
i can already tell that this ump. is going to be a problem... because hernandez was safe and anybody could tell that...