Orioles 10, Red Sox 6
Wei-Yin Chen carried a perfect game into the sixth inning as visiting Baltimore rode a six-run third to a three-game series sweep of Boston.
Caleb Joseph belted a two-run homer among his three hits and three RBIs, Ryan Flaherty registered a career-high four hits and drove in two and Adam Jones delivered a two-run double among his three hits for the Orioles, who reduced their magic number to win their first American League East title since 1997 to eight. Chen (15-4) stretched his unbeaten string to six starts after yielding one run and three hits in seven innings as Baltimore won its fourth straight.
Dan Butler's first major-league hit - a double off the Green Monster - broke up Chen's gem with one out in the sixth and Xander Bogaerts homered for the second straight game as the Red Sox lost their fifth in a row to the Orioles. Carlos Rivero's first career home run - a three-run shot - followed Daniel Nava's two-run double as Boston scored five runs in the ninth inning, while Brandon Workman (1-9) took the loss after yielding six runs (five earned) and six hits in three innings.
The Orioles sent 11 batters to the plate in the third and took a 6-0 lead with six hits and two walks - one with the bases loaded. The biggest blow was Jones' two-run two-base hit to left which followed Alejandro De Aza's RBI single, while Joseph and Flaherty contributed run-scoring singles with two out.
Baltimore made it 8-0 in the fifth when Steve Pearce doubled with two out and Joseph, who entered the game hitless in his last 13 at-bats, smacked a 2-2 offering over the Green Monster for his ninth home run. Bogaerts crushed the first pitch Chen threw in the seventh over the Monster for his 11th homer to make it 8-1.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Orioles SS J.J. Hardy (sacroiliac joint) missed his fifth straight contest and hopes to return to the lineup Friday when Baltimore begins a 10-game homestand with the first of four against the New York Yankees. ... Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia on Thursday is scheduled to have season-ending surgery on his left hand, and is expected to be ready for spring training. ... The Orioles, who outscored the Red Sox 18-7 in the series, are 34-19 against Boston since the start of 2012.