Duquette says drafting Ripken "the right thing to do" (O's win 2-1)

BOSTON - The Orioles managed one hit off Josh Beckett in five innings, but consecutive singles by Wilson Betemit, Ryan Flaherty and Robert Andino to open the sixth allowed them to tie the game, 1-1. Endy Chavez hit into a force, bringing in the go-ahead run. Chavez had three hits last night, and he's singled and driven in a run tonight. Boston's Mike Aviles lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the third after former Oriole Darnell McDonald led off with a double and Marlon Byrd singled. Executive vice president Dan Duquette said 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer will make a couple of starts with Triple-A Norfolk, and the Orioles will decide whether he can help them at the major league level. "Jamie Moyer is a veteran pitcher, he's been a winning pitcher, and we're going to see if he can help us," Duquette said. "He's going to take a couple starts at Triple-A and then we'll be in a position where we can put him on the ballclub. He's not that far removed from the (Tommy John) surgery, so there's a chance he could regain his previous form by continuing to pitch. A lot of veteran pitchers, sometimes it takes them a little longer before they come around, so we'll see if that's the case with Jamie. "He's won a lot of games. He's a good role model. And he's had some success." Duquette said it will take "a couple weeks" for the Orioles to make a decision on Moyer, who's scheduled to pitch Saturday in Buffalo. "He's a veteran player. He'll know," Duquette said. "If he can help us, he can help us." Duquette also said he expects Ryan Ripken, selected in the 20th round of the First-Year Player Draft out of Gilman, to fulfill his commitment to the University of South Carolina. "The Ripken family has had a long association with the Orioles," Duquette said. "His grandfather was there, his father was there. And he's a good athlete in his own right. We thought it was the right thing to do to draft him. He's got a good opportunity to go to South Carolina and we expect that he'll go to South Carolina, but we thought it was the right thing to do for the Orioles to draft him today." Joel Piniero, on the minor league disabled list with a shoulder injury, threw a few innings at extended spring training this week. And Dontrelle Willis, also at extended spring, is close to starting for an affiliate - most likely Norfolk. Chris Tillman has thrown five perfect innings tonight for Norfolk, striking out five. He allowed only one hit and struck out nine over eight scoreless innings in his last outing. Brian Roberts is 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Update: Rochester's Wilkin Ramirez homered leading off the sixth, but Tillman retired the next three batters. Here's his line so far: 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts. 87 pitches, 53 strikes. Wei-Yin Chen has allowed one run and five hits in six innings, with no walks and three strikeouts. He's thrown 82 pitches, 54 for strikes. In his last three starts, Chen allowed 13 runs and 19 hits in 16 innings. Update II: Chen stranded runners on second and third in the seventh inning by striking out Marlon Byrd and retiring Mike Aviles on a pop up. He allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings, walked none and struck out four. Chen threw 100 pitches, 69 for strikes. Pedro Strop has replaced him. Tillman allowed two runs and one hit in 6 2/3 innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts. He threw 107 pitches, 64 for strikes. That's two runs, two hits and 16 strikeouts in his last two starts covering 14 2/3 innings. The second run off Tillman scored after he left the game. Roberts is 0-for-3 with a walk and a diving stop at second base. Update III: Jim Johnson picked up his 18th save, retiring the side in order, and the Orioles set a franchise record with their seventh consecutive win at Fenway Park. They're also on the verge of regaining sole possession of first place in the American League East. The Rays are losing to the Yankees, 4-0, in the ninth inning.