O's trip continues at Boston (O's hammered 12-2)

For the Orioles, it started badly tonight and then it got worse. They were blown out 12-2 by the surging first-place Boston Red Sox. The Orioles now need to win the next two nights to take this series and they've fallen three games back of Boston in the division.

With his defense not making some plays behind him, left-hander Wade Miley had a terrible outing. He gave up five runs and six hits in the first inning and didn't survive the second. Over 1 1/3 innings, which was the shortest start of his career, he allowed eight hits and six runs.

In eight starts with the Orioles, Miley is 1-5 with an ERA of 8.41. He has allowed six runs or more three times with the Orioles.

The Orioles fall to 4-3 on this road trip, 6-7 against Boston and to 78-65 on the year with 19 games to play. Toronto's won tonight drops the Orioles back into third place in the division and to second in the wild card race.

The Orioles got two solo homers tonight, but no other hits. Chris Davis hit No. 37 in the second and Manny Machado hit No. 35 in the fourth. But for the game, they went 2-for-29 at-bat.

Winning pitcher David Price went eight innings allowing the two hits and two runs. He didn't walk a batter and fanned nine. Price improves to 7-0 his last seven starts and to 16-8 with an ERA of 3.81 for the year.

Boston is now 81-62 and has won five of six and 20 of 30 games. In the second game of the series on Tuesday night, Dylan Bundy (8-5, 3.82 ERA) faces left-hander Drew Pomeranz (10-11, 3.01 ERA).

Tonight's game blog: The Orioles get their chance to cut into Boston's first-place lead atop the American League East when the clubs begin a three-game series tonight at Fenway Park. But to do that, they'll have to slow a hot Boston team and overcome a pitching matchup that is decidedly in Boston's favor.

But the Orioles bring some momentum of their own into this series. They allowed just four runs in the last two games at Detroit to win that series. The Orioles are 4-2 on their current road trip and have scored 41 runs with 12 homers in the six games along with a team ERA of 3.29. O's starting pitchers worked to an ERA of 2.84 over the weekend and have an ERA of 3.15 with nine quality starts in the last 13 games.

Boston (80-62) begins tonight leading the AL East by two games over the Orioles and Blue Jays. Boston has won four of five, seven of 10 and 19 of 29 games. The Red Sox are 37-25 (.597) since July 3, tied with the Yankees for the majors' second-best record behind only the Cubs (40-22, .645). Boston is 14-7 against the AL East since the start of July going 7-3 versus Tampa Bay, 3-3 against New York, 2-1 versus Toronto and 2-0 against Baltimore.

The Orioles lead the AL East in division winning percentage:
.542 - Orioles (32-27)
.536 - Boston (30-26)
.524 - Toronto (33-30)
.475 - New York (28-31)
.429 - Tampa Bay (27-36)

Boston is 41-30 at Fenway Park this season. The Red Sox lead MLB with a .304 average and 190 doubles at home. The Sox also lead the AL and rank second in MLB behind Colorado in runs per game (6.03), OBP (.369), slugging (.498), and OPS (.867) at home.

O's left-hander Wade Miley (8-12, 5.49 ERA) pitches against Boston left-hander David Price (15-8, 3.87 ERA) in tonight's series opener.

Miley allowed four runs in five innings in his last start on Sept. 4 at Yankee Stadium. He is 1-4 with a 7.15 ERA in seven starts as an Oriole. Over 34 innings, he has given up 45 hits with 12 walks and 32 strikeouts. He has yielded four runs or more in four of those outings.

Price has pitched very well recently. He has won each of his last six starts, going 6-0 with a 2.14 ERA. In 42 innings in those starts he has walked eight, fanned 42 and allowed an average against of .204.

In three starts this season against Baltimore, Price is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA. In 22 career starts, he is 9-5 with a 2.87 ERA. Among active MLB pitcher with 10 starts against the Orioles that ERA ranks second to Jon Lester at 2.78.

One big difference on the stat sheet with these two pitchers is average against with runners in scoring postion. Price allows a .261 average with RISP and that goes down to .186 with RISP and two outs. Miley has allowed an average of .368 with RISP as an Oriole and that goes up to .500 (9-for-18) with RISP and two outs.