Red Sox Have Huge First Inning in Fireworks-Filled Win

Sports Illustrated

Red Sox 10 Orioles 3
Winning Pitcher: Josh Beckett (8-3)
Losing Pitcher: Zach Britton (6-7)


Recap
In a game filled with runs and an injury, it will be remembered for the "fight" between David Ortiz and Kevin Gregg. The Red Sox offense started off on fire. Dustin Pedroia started it with a one-out single in the first, followed by an Adrian Gonzalez walk. After Kevin Youkilis knocked in the game's first run with an RBI single, David Ortiz extended the early lead to four with a three blast to the right field bleachers. Jason Varitek and Marco Scutaro then both got on base, allowing Darnell McDonald to extend the lead to six with a bases clearing double. McDonald was then hit in by Jacoby Ellsbury, and that was all she wrote for Zach Britton. After Gonzalez knocked in the inherited runner, Britton's line was done with 2/3 inning, allowing 8 runs (7 earned) on 6 hits, 2 walks and 1 K. Boston left the first with a 8-0 lead, and that would be plenty. The Orioles made the score closer with a three run fifth, but that was as close as it would get. After the inning, Beckett was pulled due to a mildly hyperextented knee. After the game, he said he will not only be fine for the second half, but also still expects to pitch in the All Star game Tuesday. We'll see what Tito and Theo have to say about that. Things got wild in the 8th, though. After Ortiz took three inside pitches to start the at-bat, (that he definitely embellished just a bit) he swung at the 3-0 pitch and hit a lazy pop up to center. He lightly jogged to first and Kevin Gregg, the Orioles pitcher, yelled at him to get down the line. Ortiz was none too pleased with this, and charged the mound with acceleration I've never seen from him. Some punches were thrown, but in typical baseball fashion, none landed. Ortiz, Gregg, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jim Johnson were ejected from the game. The Red Sox eventually held on for the 10-3 victory, their fourth straight win.


Home Runs
Boston: David Ortiz (19), Dustin Pedroia (10)
Baltimore: Derrek Lee (8)


The Red Sox and Orioles will continue this suddenly tense series tomorrow night at 7:10 PM ET. Boston will send John Lackey (5-8 7.47) to the mound against Baltimore's Alfredo Simon (1-1 4.64).