The Red Sox scored eight times in the first inning, putting seven earned runs up on Orioles ace Zach Britton, who was pulled from the game after recording just two outs.
After Josh Beckett recorded a 1-2-3-4 top of the first, the Red Sox went right to work on Britton. Jacoby Ellsbury recorded the first out with a long drive to center that Adam Jones caught on the run to save perhaps a triple. But there was no catching the ball Dustin Pedroia lined into center. Adrian Gonzalez walked to move him to second, and then Youkilis hit a ground ball off the glove of J.J. Hardy for the first run of the game.
Then David Ortiz went deep to right, and the rout was on.
The Sox would manage five more baserunners in the inning, eventually sending thirteen men to the plate and scoring eight runs, chasing Zach Britton with just two outs.
The Sox offense has slowed down since then, being held scoreless in the second through fifth innings, but Josh Beckett has not been quite so lockdown. With the rain having started to come down in the early going, Beckett seemed to struggle with the playing surface in the fifth. Derrek Lee clubbed a long shot into the monster seats before Felix Pie and Robert Andino drew back-to-back walks and scored on singles from Nick Markakis and Adam Jones.
The important thing now seems to be that the Sox are through five, though.