Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Nate McLouth led off the bottom of the first
with a home run and the Orioles went on to score twice more in the inning en
route to a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox, giving Baltimore a sweep of
the three-game series at Camden Yards.
J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis also homered for the Orioles, who have won four in
a row and will carry at least a share of the AL East lead to St. Petersburg
for a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays to conclude the regular season.
Jim Thome contributed a pair of run-scoring singles in the victory, while Joe
Saunders pitched 7 1/3 solid innings for his first win in four starts.
Saunders (3-3), in his seventh outing for Baltimore after being acquired from
Arizona in late August, yielded three runs on eight hits with no walks and
five strikeouts.
Cody Ross belted a solo homer and Daniel Nava added a two-run shot for the Red
Sox, who have lost five in a row and nine of their last 10. Boston has reached
90 losses for the first time since finishing the 1966 season at 72-90. The Red
Sox will now try to help the Orioles, as Boston heads to New York to wrap up
the campaign with three against the Yankees.
Zach Stewart (1-4), in his second start for the Red Sox, was roughed up for
five runs on seven hits in just 2 2/3 innings. Stewart was one the players the
Red Sox acquired from the White Sox in the deal that sent Kevin Youkilis to
Chicago.
The Sports Network