Beckett Unravels As Orioles Take Opener (57-60)

Beckett allowed 6 runs in 5.1 innings

If the Red Sox have any plans of even coming close to contending this year, this was a series that they probably had to sweep. Well, that plan's over as the Red Sox fell in a blowout in Baltimore tonight. After a couple of scoreless innings to start the game, the Orioles finally got on the board in the bottom of the third. On the first pitch of the inning, light-hitting Omar Quintanilla jacked one onto Eutaw Street in right field to make it 1-0. The Red Sox would answer in the top of the fourth, though, starting on a leadoff double by Cody Ross. Two batters later, Ross would score on a single up the middle by Carl Crawford. It stayed tied for a bit, but the Orioles took another lead in the fifth inning when Mark Reynolds went the other way to right field for a solo home run to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. However, things got very ugly in the sixth inning.

Pedroia went 2-4 with a triple

A single and a walk would put runners at first and second with one out in the inning. That was when things imploded for the Red Sox as Matt Wieters hit a high bouncer over the pitcher's mound for an infield single to score a runner and make it 3-1. Chris Davis followed him up with a hard single up the middle to make it 4-1 and keep runners at first and second, still with one out, for Mark Reynolds. At this point, Josh Beckett was taken out of the game with a line that still resembled respectability. However, a couple of batters later and his final line on the night looked like 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K. Those additional two runs added onto Beckett's total came when Mark Reynolds hit his second homer of the game-- a shot to deep left to make it 7-1. The Red Sox were never able to approach a comeback and lost by that score.

Bright Spots:
Mark Melancon- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 K
Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-5
Dustin Pedroia- 2-4, 1 BB, 1 2B, 1 3B
Cody Ross- 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Carl Crawford- 2-4, 1 RBI

Dull Spots:
Josh Beckett- 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K, L (5-10)
Mike Aviles- 0-4, 3 K, 4 LOB

Player of the Game:
Dustin Pedroia- On a different night, Pedroia could've been a major catalyst as he reached base three times, including a double and triple-- he is now .280/9/43.