After stirring win in Boston finale, O's head back to Camden Yards

Sometimes outstanding pitching and defense goes hand in hand, like during many games of the Orioles' glory years. Like last night, for instance.

With an infield defense making tough plays look easy behind him, Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman took yet another step toward permanent inclusion in the top-of-the-rotation club. He may have begun to state his case for future memership in the ace club.

On a night when he was a little better than a 20-game winner, Gausman shut down major league baseball's highest scoring team as the Orioles beat the Red Sox 1-0. Boston had scored 45 runs over a five-game stretch until the Orioles held them to three and zero runs the last two nights.

Gausman gave up four singles - three of which that were not hit very hard - over eight innings and a career-high 120 pitches. The pitcher who once struggled to win a single game this year, has five wins over his last six starts.

Over his past five starts Gausman has pitched 33 innings allowing three runs for an ERA of 0.82 and WHIP of 1.00. In 12 starts since the All-Star Game, he is 7-4 with a 2.58 ERA.

The defense was up to the challenge as well. Third baseman Manny Machado made a tough backhand stab in the first. The O's turned a nifty up-the-middle double play in the second. First baseman Chris Davis scooped J.J. Hardy's hurried throw in the sixth. Jonathan Schoop made a nice catch of a foul pop to end the eighth, barely avoiding a collision with Davis in the process.

That pitching and defense and Mark Trumbo's solo homer in the second inning was enough to give the Orioles their first 1-0 win at Fenway Park since Sept. 24, 2000.

Heading into last night's game, Boston was 14-0 in Rick Porcello's home starts this year and the right-hander was 13-0. No Red Sox team had ever won the first 15 home starts by a pitcher in a season. The O's now lead the season series 8-7 with Boston. The Orioles finished the year 6-3 at Fenway Park, winning all three series.

The team that was struggling to win on the road just won three straight series on a 6-3 road trip. According to a stat last night on MASN's "O's Xtra" (I believe I heard it correctly) it's the first three-series winning trip for an O's team since 1998.

The Orioles won the last two series the hard way. They lost by a run Friday night at Detroit and then won two straight at Comerica Park allowing four runs and 13 hits. They got blown out Monday night at Fenway Park, and then won two in a row allowing a total of three runs on 13 hits.

In the last two games at Detroit, starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Chris Tillman allowed three runs over 13 innings. In the last two at Boston, young guns Dylan Bundy and Gausman gave up three runs over 13 1/3. The kids were all right.

By the way, the O's farm system has looked solid in recent days. First-round picks Bundy and Gausman pitched the O's past Boston. A converted shortstop (Mychal Givens) got Miguel Cabrera to hit into a huge double play Sunday. A 27th-round pick (Donnie Hart) got out David Ortiz on Tuesday. Oh yeah, and a third-round pick (Zach Britton) is 43-for-43 in save chances.

The Orioles were three games out of first place after Monday's loss. They return for an 11-game homestand starting tonight just one game out. The chase for their second AL East title in three years is on.