Game 39 Recap-
The Baltimore Orioles rebounded from a 3-0 1st inning deficit and beat one of the best pitchers in baseball to do it,beating the Boston Red Sox 5-4 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. After the Sox scored 3 in the first on a LF Manny Ramirez rbi single and 2 errors by 1b Kevin Millar and 3b Aubrey Huff, the Orioles had a 5-3 by the third off of Red Sox great Josh Beckett.
Orioles RH SP Jeremy Guthrie hung tough after the first and kept the team alive. Over his 6 innings,he gave up 8 hits, 3 runs(2 earned), 1 walks and struck out 7. The Baltimore offense began to peck away at the lead in the 2nd on a rbi single from OF Jay Payton. The Orioles rally was complete in the 3rd after Millar drove in a run with a single. DH Luke Scott broke a long power drought with a 3 run homer off of Beckett(5 2/3 innings, 11 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks and 5 strike outs) to put Baltimore ahead to stay.
After Guthrie was pulled with 2 runners on in the 7th, LH relief specialist Jamie Walker walked DH David Ortiz to load the bases. RH Jim Johnson(1.10 era) put out the fire though getting Ramirez to ground into a double play and 3b Mike Lowell to fly out. Johnson battled but tired in the 8th, allowing a rare run on run scoring single by SS Alex Cora. Closer George Sherrill was called on to get a 5 out save, he quickly escaped the 8th on a fly out followed by a ground ball. He then got the 3 best hitters on the Red Sox out in order in the 9th with a strike out of Ortiz(ejected for arguing), fly out by Ramirez and a final K of 3b Mike Lowell for his 14th save and a huge Orioles win.
Star of the Game-
Orioles pitchers—- Gave up 3 early and did not quit vs one of the best teams in MLB. Hats off to Guthrie, Walker, Johnson and Sherrill.
Orioles Notes-
3b Melvin Mora was pulled from the lineup after he was struck by a ball on his right shoulder in the infield, it does not appear to be anything serious. Huff took his spot at Third…. Scott’s homer broke a 95 at bat homer drought….. Beckett had been 4-0 at Camden Yards
Next Game-
3:05 Start -Camden Yards
Orioles Rh Daniel Cabrera(3-1) vs Red Sox LH Jon Lester(2-2)
