Orioles at Red Sox
THE STORY: Curt Schilling told a Boston radio station on Tuesday
that the Red Sox wouldn’t make the playoffs this season. Boston then
went out and made its former ace look good blowing a late lead and
losing to the Baltimore Orioles 7-5. The Red Sox, who have lost 15 of
their last 19 games, host the Orioles in the finale of a four-game set
Wednesday. Josh Beckett takes the mound for the Red Sox against Tommy
Hunter as Boston clings to its two-game lead in the American League wild
card standings.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Tommy Hunter (4-4, 4.81 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Josh Beckett (13-5, 2.50).
Hunter
was acquired from the Rangers for reliever Koji Uehara. In his 10
outings with Baltimore, Hunter is 3-3 with a 5.91 ERA. He was 1-1 in
limited action while with the Rangers this season. Hunter is 2-1
lifetime against the Red Sox, but has a whopping 8.31 ERA and has given
up seven home runs to Boston in just 17 1/3 innings. Beckett’s return to
the rotation after injuring his ankle went well. He allowed two earned
runs in six innings as Boston edged Tampa Bay for its lone win in the
four-game set last week 4-3. Beckett has been outstanding all season and
is riding a four-game winning streak. If Boston makes the playoffs, he
will likely start the first game. Beckett is 7-3 lifetime against
Baltimore with a 3.76 ERA.
ABOUT THE ORIOLES (64-90): Baltimore has won two of the first three
games of the series. Both Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds returned to the
lineup Tuesday after missing the past couple games. The pair combined to
go 5-for-8 with two RBIs. Jim Johnson has looked super in relief.
Johnson got the save Tuesday and has eight saves, including six
straight. Johnson blew four saves early and leads AL relievers with 87
innings pitched. Baltimore’s bullpen shut out Boston for the last five
innings Tuesday.
ABOUT THE RED SOX (88-67): Jacoby
Ellsbury headed into Tuesday night’s game leading the league in hits,
doubles and extra base hits this month. He has hit safely in 32 straight
games against the Orioles. Adrian Gonzalez has 206 hits. The only other
Red Sox first baseman with more was Mo Vaughn, who had 207 in 1996.
Jonathan Papelbon blew the save Tuesday. It was his second blown save of
the year and broke a string of 25 straight successful opportunities.
Daniel Bard continued to struggle. Asked to get two innings on Tuesday,
Bard allowed two hits in 1 1/3 innings and took the loss again. He is
2-9 on the season.
FINAL PITCH: Carl Crawford returned to
the lineup hitting sixth after sitting out Monday’s doubleheader with a
stiff neck. He was 1-for-4. "He's good enough to pay. He's sore, but he
can move. Yesterday, he couldn't move," Red Sox manager Terry Francona
said.