—
=BALTIMORE — Adrian Beltre homered to spark a five-run second inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 on Thursday night to salvage a .500 road trip.
David Ortiz drove in two runs and J.D. Drew had three hits for the Red Sox, who moved within 6 1/2 games of idle Tampa Bay in the AL wild-card race.
Boston dropped two of three on the road against the Rays, then lost in Baltimore on Tuesday before winning two straight. The Red Sox open a six-game homestand Friday against former teammate Manny Ramirez and the Chicago White Sox.
After missing his last start with a sore back, Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-4) gave up four runs in 5 2-3 innings. He has allowed four runs in each of his last four outings.
Jonathan Papelbon worked the ninth for his 35th save, and second in two nights. Baltimore got runners on second and third with one out before Papelbon struck out Cesar Izturis and rookie Josh Bell.
Papelbon is the only pitcher in major league history to record at least 35 saves in each of his first five seasons. In 38 career appearances against the Orioles, he has 30 saves and an 0.75 ERA.
Baltimore starter Brad Bergesen (6-10) gave up five runs, two earned, eight hits and a career-high five walks in 5 1-3 innings. He was 3-0 in six starts since July 26.
Down 5-0 and limited to two hits over the first five innings, the Orioles chased Matsuzaka with a four-run sixth.
Baseball
Red Sox beat O’s, win 3-game series
- Baseball
-
-
Cardinals stun Texas, force World Series to Game 7
Twice down to their last strike, the St. Louis Cardinals kept rallying to win one of baseball’s greatest thrillers.
-
Berkman’s bat helps Cardinals stay alive
Lance Berkman batted cleanup in Game 6 of the World Series, moving up one spot and switching spots with slumping Matt Holliday.
-
Feliz, Feldman & Lowe form infamous Texas trio
Neftali Feliz, Scott Feldman and Mark Lowe became a pitching trio that will live in infamy.
-
Rangers’ bats come alive in World Series defeat
The Rangers’ big bats finally came alive.
Too bad for Texas: So did the Cardinals’. -
Series heads to Game 7 for 1st time since 2002
Having forced the World Series to a Game 7 for the first time in nine years, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa must decide whether to send ace Chris Carpenter to the mound on short rest Friday night or start Kyle Lohse or Edwin Jackson.
-
Bucs, Brewers split pair
Ryan Doumit homered and drove in two runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates ended more than a year of futility against the Milwaukee Brewers with a 9-2 win in the second game of a doubleheader on Monday night.
-
Georgia, Pennsylvania Little Leaguers advance
Jake Fromm hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning and struck out 10 in 4 1-3 innings of relief to lead Warner Robins, Ga., to an 8-5 win over LaGrange, Ky., Monday at the Little League World Series.
-
Cubs fire GM Jim Hendry after 9 years
Through his wheeling and dealing, Jim Hendry helped the Chicago Cubs reach the playoffs three times as general manager. He also saddled them with big contracts and underachievers to go with a couple troublemakers, and now, he’s out of a job.
-
Laffey acquired by Yankees
Former Allegany High School star Aaron Laffey moved a lot closer to home and into the middle of a pennant race when the New York Yankees claimed the left-hander off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
-
Martin homers twice as Yankees trip Twins
Phil Hughes allowed two hits in 7 2-3 innings and Russell Martin hit two home runs to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
- More Baseball Headlines
-
