The Red Sox were out of first for the first time in months and facing off against a team that always give them fits with the Orioles. The Sox had Dempster on the mound while the Os were sending Feldman. Dempster didn't have his best stuff last night, but had the back of the Sox offense on his way to a win.
The Sox got a small lead in the 3rd when Victorino hit a sac grounder to score Drew. Sox 1-0. In the 4th the Sox padded the lead when Stephen Drew hit a 3 run HR to bring it to 4-0 Sox. Dempster seemed like he was playing with fire all night long and it looked like he was having a real hard time with his fast ball. However Dempster didn't give up his first run in until the 5th when he gave up an RBI single to Roberts. Sox 4-1. The Sox added two more runs in the 6th when Stephen Drew hit another HR. At first it was ruled a triple even though Drew came home on the play anyways when he got caught in a run down and ended up beating the Os to home. However the play was reviewed and was called a 2 run HR. Sox 6-1. It's an understatement to say Stephen Drew was having himself a nice night. Drew was 3 for 5 on the night with 5 RBIs. Dempster took the mound in the 6th but when he allowed two singles he was done for the night. Dempster had a long conversation with Farrell trying to make his case to stay in the game, but the decision was made. Breslow finished off the 6th inning and allowed the runner at 3rd to score when Wieters hit what should have been an inning ending double play, but Breslow didn't keep his foot on the bag. Sox 6-2. Dempster's pitching line for the night was 5.1 IP, 84 pitches, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB and 4 Ks.
In the 7th the Sox got that run right back when Victorino hit a leadoff homerun. Sox 7-2. However that was not the most talked about event in the inning. David Ortiz ended up striking out on a plate appearance where ump Tim Timmons called not one, but possibly two balls a strike in the at bat. Ortiz had some things to say on his way back and then went crazy town on the press box phone in the dugout. Ortiz was thrown from the game and then went out after Timmons however Farrell was able to keep him back. Oh Papi! He wasn't wrong about the calling of balls and strikes, but he didn't help his case by going nuts in the dugout. I am sure he will get a fine, but I hope that it all. Breslow pitched a scoreless 7th inning and then handed the ball over to Tazawa in the 8th. Tazawa gave up the 3rd and final run when he gave an RBI infield single to Hardy. Sox 7-3. Uehara took the mound in the 9th and even though it wasn't a save situation, he pitched a scoreless inning on the way to a Sox win.
The Rays also beat the Yanks last night, so the Sox are still 1/2 game back in the standings, but this win kept them right in it.
Red Sox 7 Orioles 3 BOXSCORE
WP: Dempster (6-8) LP: Feldman (2-2)
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