Chen's winless streak continues (Jones homers, O's lose 3-1)

BOSTON - Wei-Yin Chen carried a shutout into the seventh inning today, but the weight of it eventually brought him down. Dustin Pedroia led off the bottom of the seventh inning by reaching on an infield hit, Mike Napolis doubled to left-center field to put two runners in scoring position, and Daniel Nava launched a 1-1 pitch over the Green Monster in left. Shutout gone. Winless streak alive. Chen hasn't posted a victory in nine consecutive regular-season starts. The Orioles have scored 15 runs while he's been in the game. The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer 17 times in his last 25 starts. Tommy Hunter replaced Chen, who threw 107 pitches, 70 for strikes. The Taiwanese left-hander surrendered three runs and five hits, walked two and struck out three. Chen won't get a win, but he gave the Orioles their third quality start in seven games. Did he simply run out of gas? We'll find out later. The Orioles put the leadoff hitter on base in three of the first four innings and didn't score. They've had at least one runner on base in six of the first eight innings, but they can't break through. They've struck out 10 times today, which doesn't help their cause. Joel Hanrahan is warming and will pitch the ninth for the Red Sox. The Orioles will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak since July 23-25. Update: Adam Jones led off the top of the ninth with his first home run of 2013, a shot to left-center field off Hanrahan. The Orioles weren't shut out, but they lost to the Red Sox, 3-1. J.J. Hardy doubled with two outs, but Ryan Flaherty popped up to third baseman Will Middlbrooks in foul territory to remain hitless on the season. Hunter retired all five batters he faced.