Orioles miss big chance, lose to Boston 2-1
BOSTON — Cody Ross doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, Andrew Bailey escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and the Boston Red Sox ended Baltimore’s six-game winning streak, beating the Orioles 2-1 Sunday.
The Orioles began the day one game behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East and two games ahead of Oakland for the top wild-card spot in the league.
Boston avoid a sweep and stopped its four-game losing streak after Dustin Pedroia led off the eighth with a double against Luis Ayala (5-5) and Ross followed with his tiebreaking hit.
Brian Matusz then retired Mauro Gomez on a fly ball before highly touted prospect Dylan Bundy made his major league debut with one out and retired both batters he faced on fly balls. Chosen fourth in last year’ draft, the 19-year-old right-hander was 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA in the minors this year before being called up from Double-A Bowie on Wednesday.
Junichi Tazawa (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth before the Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the ninth on a single by Mark Reynolds, a double by Jim Thome and an intentional walk to Chris Davis. But Bailey retired Manny Machado on a forceout at home and struck out pinch hitter Ryan Flaherty to get his sixth save in eight opportunities.
The Orioles dropped to 27-9 in one-run games.
Boston starter Felix Doubront struck out 11 in six innings, including three each against Robert Andino and Reynolds. Andino returned after being hit in the helmet with a pitch on Friday night.
Doubront allowed one run on four hits with two walks in seven innings in his second straight solid start.
Baltimore nearly took a lead in the first on a deep fly down the right-field line by Adam Jones. But Ross raced to the corner and reached into the stands to make the catch while banging into the low fence.
The Red Sox scored the game’s first run in the fourth when Ross led off with a single and took second on a walk to James Loney. With one out, Danny Valencia grounded to shortstop J.J. Hardy, who threw to second for the first out, but Andino’s relay into the dirt eluded Reynolds at first base. Ross scored from second, sliding ahead of the attempted tag by Matt Wieters.
Doubront held the Orioles hitless through four innings and gave up hits to the first three batters in the fifth. Lew Ford singled, took third on a double by Davis and scored on a single by Machado.
NOTES: The Red Sox recalled OF Che-Hsuan Lin from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... John Lackey, on the disabled list all year following Tommy John elbow surgery, pitched two innings in a Red Sox intrasquad game in Fort Myers, Fla. He threw 26 pitches with three strikeouts, no hits and no walks. ... The Orioles return home to open a four-game series on Monday night against the Toronto Blue Jays. Steve Johnson (3-0) pitches for Baltimore against Henderson Alvarez (9-13). ... The Red Sox have a day off before opening their final home series of the season with the first of two games against the Tampa Bay Rays. Clay Buchholz (11-6) is scheduled to pitch for Boston against David Price (18-5).