The Red Sox are ready to get their series against the Orioles started as they send Jon Lester to the mound to take on Miguel Gonzalez. We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in Fenway Park.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2, End 8th -- The Sox are down to their last three outs after more futility against Darren O'Day. It's a walkoff or bust now.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2, Mid 8th -- Scott Atchison roles through the eighth in a hurry, picking up a strikeout in his 1-2-3 frame.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2, End 7th -- Miguel Gonzalez' night ends after a one-out single in the seventh from Jose Iglesias, bringing in Darren O'Day to pick up the last two outs and keep the Orioles ahead by two.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2, Mid 7th -- Jon Lester manages to hold the fort down for a seventh inning, despite allowing Robert Andino to make yet another trip to the bases on a one-out single. The man is just poison to the Red Sox.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2, End 6th -- Nothing doing for the Red Sox against Miguel Gonzalez in a 1-2-3 sixth. His performances seem like they'll continue to make the team regret letting him go.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2, Mid 6th -- I'm beginning to sense a pattern here. Immediately after getting the tie back, the Sox surrender two in the sixth to fall behind once again. Matt Wieters is once again the man to do much of the damage, doubling home Adam Jones after a one-out walk and then scoring on a single from Mark Reynolds to make it 4-2. It's a very quick rally, but it counts all-the-same.
Orioles 2, Red Sox 2, End 5th -- The Sox work back into a tie thanks to a short two-out rally started by an infield single from Pedro Ciriaco thanks in part to an errant throw from Robert Andino, but mostly just the result of his own speed. Scott Podsednik moves Ciriaco to third with another single, and then Dustin Pedroia completes the job by breaking an 0-for-19 slump with a ground ball single that scores the run.
Orioles 2, Red Sox 1, Mid 5th -- Another double play helps Lester get through a scoreless fifth inning, this time coming from Nate McLouth and once again erasing Robert Andino on the basepaths.
Orioles 2, Red Sox 1, End 4th -- A two-out walk to Jarrod Saltalamacchia is not enough for the Sox to regain their momentum, with James Loney hitting a flair to Nate McLouth in left to end the fourth with the Sox trailing.
Orioles 2, Red Sox 1, Mid 4th -- The Orioles return the favor twice over in the top of the fourth. A leadoff single and double put runners on second and third for the Orioles, and all it takes to score both is a ground ball cued off the bat of Matt Wieters and past a diving James Loney. In the next at bat, Jose Iglesias makes a great pick of a low throw from Jon Lester and manages to turn the double play as he's taken out by Lew Ford, but it's too late to keep the lead intact.
Red Sox 1, Orioles 0, End 3rd -- The Red Sox jump on top first. Daniel Nava gets two bases where he might have had three to start, rattling a ball into the cavernous right field corner before a fan reaches out and grabs it. Umpire's discretion leaves him at second rather than third, but in the end it doesn't matter. While Jose Iglesias fails to move him along with a bunt, popping it up into the air, Pedro Ciriaco is up to the task of bringing him home, bouncing a line drive off the top of the scoreboard to make it 1-0, Sox.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, Mid 3rd -- Robert Andino appears to have broken up Lester's bid for another 1-2-3 inning with a one-out walk, but then completely misjudges a fly ball out to Cody Ross, who backpedals towards the track to make the grab and then throws back in to first to double up Andino at first.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, End 2nd -- The Sox get some decent contact from Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but he hits it right to Manny Machado at third, and that's the most promising thing to come from the Red Sox in a 1-2-3 second inning.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, Mid 2nd -- Jon Lester's momentum builds, as he strikes out Mark Reynolds and then adds two ground balls on three pitches to close out a 1-2-3, seven pitch second inning.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, End 1st -- The Sox respond to the two-out single with a one-out base knock from Scott Podsednik. Dustin Pedroia does manage to give a fly ball a ride to deep center, but it stays well short of the wall for Adam Jones, and Cody Ross completes the scoreless first with a fly ball of his own.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, Mid 1st -- There are reasons for Red Sox fans to hope for either team to win tonight, but all Sox fans should at least be united in hoping Jon Lester has a strong start. So far, so good. While Adam Jones did manage to squeeze a ground ball through the right side of the infield with two outs, it's all the Orioles manage against the southpaw starter in a strong first inning.