The Red Sox are out to even up their series against the Orioles at one-a-piece Saturday night, whether you like it or not.
We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in Fenway Park.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 3, Mid 8th -- Brian Matusz and Darren O'Day get the job done in the eighth, though the latter gets lucky when Dustin Pedroia's line drive finds its way right into Manny Machado's glove at third for the final out.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 3, End 7th -- Just three pitches into the inning, and Manny Machado somehow manages to hook an outside fastball with enough power to clear the wall in left. The solo shot makes it 4-3, and while Doubront manages to keep runs out despite facing some more trouble in the inning--he actually manages to strike out the side--all it takes is the one run.
Red Sox 3, Orioles 3, Mid 7th -- A two-out single from Pedro Ciriaco is all the Sox get in the seventh as this game gets into the later innings still locked in a tie.
Red Sox 3, Orioles 3, End 6th -- Having been granted the lead, Doubront holds it, not letting a two-out single unsettle him after starting the inning with a pair of strikeouts. He's got seven to his name now through six.
Red Sox 3, Orioles 3, Mid 6th -- And just like that, the Sox pull into a tie. Jacoby Ellsbury leads off the inning with a single, and while we all know what a threat Ellsbury can be on the basepaths, the Orioles don't even challenge him, as Johnson walks Scott Podsednik behind him to move the speedy centerfielder to second and chase Johnson from the game. Ellsbury advances on to third on a Dustin Pedroia fielder's choice ground ball, and then comes in to score the tying run on a sacrifice fly, making it three-a-side.
Orioles 3, Red Sox 2, End 5th -- The Orioles try to manufacture a run after a leadoff single from Lew Ford, but can't quite get that last push to get him across the plate. Doubront's been good about bouncing back from his troubled innings of late. Perhaps there's more of the same in store tonight.
Orioles 3, Red Sox 2, Mid 5th -- And right on cue, Jarrod Saltalamacchia responds! It comes before Steve Johnson can so much as record an out in the fifth. A walk to Mauro Gomez sets up Boston's slugging catcher, and when Johnson delivers a straight fastball, it's all over. Salty turns on the pitch, and lifts a no-doubter to the very back rows in right field to bring the Sox back within one.
Orioles 3, Red Sox 0, End 4th -- And right on cue...It's a two-run dinger that does the damage to Doubront, though he cannot be blamed for that entirely. He's certainly the one who made the pitch to Chris Davis, but it should have come with the bases empty. Instead, because of a high throw from Mike Aviles on a first-pitch ground ball from Adam Jones earlier in the inning, there's a man on first, making it 3-0 instead of 2-0.
Orioles 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 4th -- The Sox are doing a bang-up job of wasting baserunners. A one-out single from Dustin Pedroia off of Steve Johnson is erased immediately by a Cody Ross double play in this most recent installment of offensive mediocrity.
Orioles 1, Red Sox 0, End 3rd -- Two more strikeouts mark the third inning. Still, it's taking him lots of pitches, and with 50 fast approaching, we're solidly in the danger area.
Orioles 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 3rd -- Two baserunners in the second? Steve Johnson makes good by going back to his usual 1-2-3 stuff, not allowing a ball to so much as leave the infield, and striking out Jacoby Ellsbury for a second time to end the frame.
Orioles 1, Red Sox 0, End 2nd -- Felix Doubront's own fielding costs him a run in the second inning. After surrendering his first baserunner of the game by plunking Chris Davis with one out, Doubront can't make the play on a weak ground ball hit by Mark Reynolds wide of the third base side of the mound, and then gives up a single up the middle to bring the run home. Jacoby Ellsbury manages to throw out Reynolds at third, but the damage is already done against Doubront.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, Mid 2nd -- When you do get baserunners against a guy who's locked in like Johnson, it's imperative not to waste them. So much for that. A leadoff hit by Cody Ross is squandered when Jarrod Saltalamacchia can't make contact on an apparent hit-and-run, leaving him dead meat at second, and when Salty draws the walk, Ryan Lavarnway manages only a pop-up into foul territory, stranding him at first.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, End 1st -- Felix Doubront could really use an excellent outing tonight. It's his last start of the year, and if he gets it right, it could go a long way towards getting him a position in Boston's starting rotation for 2013. He wore down big time as the year went on, yes, but he was exceptional in his last game, and another good one might help drive that home. He certainly starts off on the right foot, getting a 1-2-3 inning of his own, and striking out Adam Jones to close it out.
Red Sox 0, Orioles 0, Mid 1st -- Steve Johnson does not give up many baserunners. So far, he's staying true to form. Jacoby Ellsbury is welcomed back into the lineup with a strikeout that starts a 1-2-3 first inning off. The Sox have their work cut out for them if they don't want to repeat on his list of victims.