O's-Red Sox, Put Away Those Brooms

It was a usual Jeremy Guthrie start for about seven innings. He pitched well (6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K) but the team didn't get him any run-support. The plated two in the fourth with RBI from Huff and Millar, but Guts gave it back on a Manny Ramirez homer (his third in as many days) in the sixth and a Kevin Cash RBI double in the seventh (to chase him from the game). Jamie Walker and Matt Albers played match-ups to keep Cash stranded. In the eighth, James Johnson came in and was not his typical effective self, giving up a run on two walks and two hits before getting a double play ball to end the inning. (That Albers only faced one batter was very confusing. Either leave him in for the eighth, or bring JJ in after Walker. I didn't see any point in handling it the way they did.)

With Okajima and Papelbon looming in the Boston pen, it looked like the Red Sox would be completing the sweep. It turned out to not be a good day for set-up men, however. Single-single-single-sac fly tied the game, and then with the bases loaded, Adam Jones finally put a good swing on the ball. His drive to deep left-field was just past the outstretched glove of Jacoby Ellsbury, and he cruised into second with a three RBI double. George Sherrill made things interesting in the ninth, striking out the first two batters he faced, before walking a pair to bring up Manny as the tying run. Ramirez put a scare into the O's faithful with a flyball to deep right-center, but it wasn't hit far enough and the O's got the come-from-behind win, 6-3. It's nice to leave town on a positive note, as the team heads out west for a series against the Twins to start a nine game roadtrip.