Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

September 22, 2012

Even Lester's luck is gone

Jon Lester's 14-0 record against the Orioles is over, but the Red Sox still can have an impact on who gets into the postseason.

The Associated Press

BOSTON - Matt Wieters drove in three runs, Miguel Gonzalez pitched 61/3 solid innings and the Baltimore Orioles remained one game behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East with a 4-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

The Yankees beat Oakland 2-1 in 10 innings. The Orioles broke a tie with the Athletics for the top wild-card spot. All three teams have 12 games remaining.

Jon Lester (9-13) lost for the first time in his 21 career starts against the Orioles. He had been 14-0, the longest winning streak against the Orioles franchise for a pitcher at the start of his career since at least 1901. It had been the longest current winning streak by an active pitcher against any team. But he's 0-1 in his last four starts against them, all Orioles victories.

Gonzalez (7-4) allowed two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk as the Orioles improved to 6-1 this season at Fenway Park. They lead the AL with 44 wins on the road.

Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his club-record 46th save, one more than the previous record Randy Myers set in 1997.

The score was tied 2-2 after five innings before the Orioles went ahead with two runs in the sixth.

Adam Jones walked with one out and scored on a double by Wieters. A wild pitch by Lester sent Wieters to third and Mark Reynolds drove him in with a single. Reynolds went 2 for 4 and is 15 for 34 in 10 games against Boston this year.

Baltimore second baseman Robert Andino left the game in the ninth after being hit in the left ear flap by a fastball from Mark Melancon.

The Red Sox had taken a 1-0 lead in the third on doubles by Daniel Nava and Pedro Ciriaco. Then Wieters got his first big hit of the night in the fourth with a two-run single with no outs. It drove in J.J. Hardy, who had singled, and Jones, who had doubled.

Boston tied it in the fifth when Gonzalez retired the first two batters then allowed consecutive singles by Ciriaco, Scott Podsednik and Dustin Pedroia, who snapped an 0 for 18 slump.

The game was the start of the Red Sox's final homestand of their first losing season since 1997. But they could have an impact on the postseason race with two home games each against Baltimore and Tampa Bay before they finish with three games at Baltimore and three at New York. 

NOTES: The Orioles activated DH Jim Thome and LHP Troy Patton from the 15-day disabled list. ... The Red Sox recalled 3B Danny Valencia and RHPs Pedro Beato and Zach Stewart from Triple-A Pawtucket.

 

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