Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Kevin Youkilis homered and drove in three runs to back another sturdy effort from Jon Lester in Boston's 9-3 win over the Orioles in the middle test of a three-game set.
J.D. Drew added three hits and drove in two runs and David Ortiz had three hits, scored two times and knocked in a run to lead the Red Sox to their fifth win in six games.
Lester (10-3) permitted a single run on five hits while walking one and striking out seven over seven innings, as Boston continued its domination over the Orioles at Fenway Park by beating the visitors for the 17th time in the last 19 games at the historic ballpark.
The southpaw improved to 12-0 in 15 career starts against Baltimore and joined Hall of Famer Red Faber, who also won his first 12 decisions between 1914-16 against the Browns, as the only pitcher to begin his career with a double- digit win streak against the St. Louis/Baltimore franchise.
Jeremy Guthrie (3-10) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits over four-plus innings. He walked three and recorded one strikeout for the O's, who have dropped four out of five since a four-game win streak.
Marco Scutaro opened the home first with a single and advanced when Ortiz walked with one out. Youkilis followed with a double to produce one run and push Ortiz to third. Both scored on Drew's two-base hit to center. Daniel Nava's two-out double off the glove of right fielder Nick Markakis delivered Drew to finish the four-run rally.
Baltimore got on the board in the fifth when Matt Wieters led off with a double and scored on a two-out single to right field by Corey Patterson.
The Sox answered back in their half of the frame when Youkilis smacked a two- run home run to left field. Drew followed with a single that chased Guthrie from the game.
Nava opened the eighth with an infield hit and advanced to second base on a throwing error by pitcher Frank Mata, who had recorded the last out in the seventh. Mike Cameron then laced a double into left-center field to plate Nava to make it a 7-1 game. Eric Patterson legged out an infield hit and Cameron was able to score when first baseman Ty Wigginton's throw to first base got past Mata trying to cover. Juan Samuel was ejected for the first time as the Orioles manager with Ortiz at the plate after an argument with the home plate umpire just before Big Papi doubled into left field to chase home Eric Patterson to push the Boston lead to 9-1.
Robert Manuel started the ninth inning on the hill for Boston and retired the first two batters before a walk to Wieters was followed by a two-run home run by Jake Fox. The ball hit off the back wall just above the top of the left field fence and was initially ruled a double before the umpires went to replay and ruled a long ball for the recently acquired utility man.
Injured Boston pitcher Clay Buchholz threw from 90 feet on flat ground prior to Saturday's game and the team will run more tests to determine whether or not he is ready to make his next scheduled start on Monday or Tuesday of next week at Tampa Bay...Tim Wakefield was the last Red Sox pitcher to win 12 decisions in a row over one team when he did it against Tampa Bay between 2001 and 2005...Lester has all of his wins over his last 14 starts and has allowed one run or less in nine of his last 14 turns...Boston is 34-11 against the O's since May 30, 2008...The Red Sox have won 15 of their last 18 at home. Scutaro has hit safely in nine straight...Boston infielder Jed Lowrie, on the 60-day disabled list with mononucleosis, will begin a rehabilitation assignment with short season A Lowell on Monday. Josh Beckett, sidelined by a lower back strain, is slated to make his first rehab start with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox Tuesday in Sarasota against the Orioles affiliate...Faber won 254 games in his 20-year career, all with the White Sox, between 1914-1933. Guthrie is 1-7 in 14 starts against Boston and 0-3 in seven turns at Fenway...Corey Patterson finished with two hits and a stolen base and has hit safely in eight straight during which he has collected 15 hits...The home run for Fox was his first as a member of the Orioles.