Red Sox Use Six-Run Ninth to Take Down Orioles 8-2

Boston outhit the O's 9-6 and won thanks to a big ninth inning in which the Red Sox plated six runs.

Kevin Youkilis led the way with three hits including a home run, while Marco Scutaro added two hits, one run and one RBI.

Final, 8-2, Red Sox: Although Paps was warming up just one inning ago, the Sox sent Joe Nelson to the bump thanks to the six-run top half.

Nelson did all he could to extend the contest as he allowed a leadoff double and walked the next two batters he faced to load 'em up with no outs.

Nelson allowed a two-run single to pinch hitter Scott Moore before getting yanked for Ramon Ramirez.

Ram-Ram got Patterson to ground out and Tejada to pop out to end it.

Mid 9th, 8-0, Red Sox: After back-to-back walks to Martinez and Drew, the runners advanced on a passed ball through Wieters' legs to put two men in scoring position for Varitek.

The O's walked Tek to load 'em up for pinch hitter Darnell McDonald and they paid for it dearly as McDonald blooped one into left field to drive in a pair.

Bill Hall followed him up with a frozen rope to left field to plate two more. After a base hit by Scutaro — his second of the night — Pedie struck out looking for the second out.

Youk finished up the scoring spree with a two-out, two-run double to left to give the Sox an 8-0 advantage.

End 8th, 2-0, Red Sox: Victor Martinez spun out a couple more fine defensive plays as he ranged way to his right to pick a Tejada grounder and dug out another chopper my Markakis before flipping it to Bard for the second out.

Bard then struck out Wigginton to end the eighth.

Mid 8th, 2-0, Red Sox: Reddick led off with a triple to right-center thanks to a poor route and bobble by center fielder Adam Jones.

He scored two batters later on a chopper over the drawn-in left side of the infield by Scutaro. Cue the Scu-Scu-Scutaro song!

Wigginton ended the inning on a nice double play off an Ortiz screamer down the line but the damage was already done.

End 7th, 1-0, Red Sox: Lester's night was almost ruined when he walked the bases loaded with one down but Daniel Bard came in to close the door and keep the 1-0 lead.

Lester went 6 1/3 with four hits and three walks. He struck out four and threw 81 pitches.

Bard came in with the bases chucked to face pinch hitter Luke Scott, who popped out for the big second out. He then got Patterson to pop out to Youk in foul territory to end the threat.

Mid 7th, 1-0, Red Sox: Youk smashed the inning's first offering over the left-field fence to give the Sox the 1-0 lead.

It's Youk's 12th of the season, 17th against the O's in his career and fourth of the season against AL East foes.

End 6th, 0-0: Scutaro missed out on a homer but he bagged himself a web gem as the shortstop ended the frame with a dazzling assist on Wigginton's grounder.

Lester has now thrown 81 pitches through six innings. There have been just six total hits and one walk while the hurlers have struck out seven.

Mid 6th, 0-0: Marco Scutaro was inches away from giving the Sox a 1-0 lead when his long drive down the left-field line went just to the left of the pole.

It would have been the shortstop's third straight game with a homer. Instead, it will go down as nothing more than a very long strike.

The umps went in for a quick video replay before making the foul call official.

Pedroia tried to spark up some offensive magic on his own by smacking a single and stealing a base but Ortiz left him stranded by grounding out to first.

End 5th, 0-0: Lester ran into his first real trouble of the night but managed to bail himself out and keep things scoreless.

The ace allowed his third hit of the night — a single off the bat of Adam Jones — before Atkins clipped the nubber to the right of Lester for the O's second straight hit to open the inning. After Lugo's sac bunt moved the runners over, Lester got a huge out when he got Izturis to pop out to Youk at the mound. Patterson followed that pop out by bouncing into a ground out to end the threat.

Mid 5th, 0-0: Chalk that inning up to Corey Patterson. The left fielder got the first out on a nice running catch in foul ground and ended the frame by robbing Reddick of extra bases with a sprinting snare in left-center at the warning track.

End 4th, 0-0: After Wigginton was hit by a pitch with one down, Lester got Wieters to bounce into a double play to end the frame and keep things scoreless.

Mid 4th, 0-0: Don't look now, but Guthrie is cruising. The O's hurler has now retired 10 in a row, getting Papi to strike out, Youk to bloop out and Martinez to ground out.

End 3rd, 0-0: Julio Lugo became the first O's batter to reach first base with a hard grounder down the third base line that bounced off a diving Youkilis' glove.

Lugo was then forced out at second on a nice 1-6-3 double play attempt but Scutaro's throw was a foot short and a half-second late as Izturis beat it out by a hair.

Patterson followed the force out by smacking one up the middle for the club's second hit of the inning. Patterson is now 2-for-5 in his career against Lester with a homer and a single.

Mid 3rd, 0-0: Guthrie continues to cruise as the Sox can't get anything going in the third.

Pedroia got a good hold of one but it was laced right at the left fielder for the inning's third and final out.

Guthrie has now thrown 39 pitches through three frames and has allowed just one hit and one walk.

End 2nd, 0-0: Lester cruises to his second 1-2-3 inning thanks to a nice grab at third by Youk.

Youkilis grabbed a Matt Wieters liner two steps to his right to get the out and take away a sure double.

The southpaw got Adam Jones to strike out swinging on a mean curveball in the dirt to end the frame.

Mid 2nd, 0-0: Another botched call for the men in blue.

Just days after the Jim Joyce debacle in Detroit, first base ump James Hoye blew a call on J.D. Drew's swinging bunt. Guthrie fielded it in front of the mound but a wild throw drew Ty Wigginton off the bag. Too bad Hoye didn't see it and called Drew out.

Thanks to the missed call, Guthrie enjoyed a 1-2-3 second.

End 1st, 0-0: V-Mart made up for his inning-ending strikeout with an incredible play at first base.

The Sox catcher/first baseman/DH dove to his right to snare a liner out of the air for the second out of the inning. It's his first start at first of the season after making 22 starts there for the Sox last season. He also made 44 starts there for the Indians last summer.

Lester cruised in his first frame with a 1-2-3 inning.

Mid 1st, 0-0: The Sox were unable to jump on Guthrie in the first frame, which is somewhat of a rarity for the O's hurler. Entering the contest, he has let in eight of his 32 runs allowed this year in the first inning.

Pedroia drew a one-out walk and after Big Papi laced a line-out to right field, Youkilis roped a double down the left field line to put both runners in scoring position. Martinez ended the top of the inning with a strike out on a weak swing as he was fooled by the off-speed pitch.

5:50 p.m.: Reliever Scott Atchison has been optioned to Pawtucket to make room for Reddick.

"Scotty, unfortunately has been that guy because he has
options. I think he understands. It's frustrating but I think he knows
we like him as a pitcher and sometimes guys get on that shuttle. We
were in a potential bind and we were because we need a healthy
outfielder," manager Terry Francona said before Saturday's game.

3:15 p.m.: With both Jeremy Hermida and Adrian Beltre banged up, the Sox called up Josh Reddick. The outfielder will start in center field Saturday and will bat eighth.

Kevin Youkilis will slide across the diamond and play third.

Victor Martinez takes over at first meaning Jason Varitek will catch Lester.

Here's the Sox lineup:
6 … Scutaro
4 … Pedroia
DH … Ortiz
5 … Youkilis
3 … Martinez
9 … Drew
2 … Varitek
8 … Reddick
7 … Hall

8 a.m.: Jon Lester and his 10-0 career record against Baltimore take the hill at Fenway South on Saturday night.

The Red Sox are coming off an 11-run barrage against the Orioles on Friday night, a game in which Clay Buchholz earned his fifth straight win and his ninth straight road win. It was Buchholz's second career complete-game shutout — and the last one came against Baltimore, too, a no-hitter that some Red Sox fans may remember.

The Red Sox are now 4 1/2 games out of first in the AL East and just 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees for second place.

Something to keep an eye on is the status of Jeremy Hermida, who collided with Adrian Beltre in the third inning of Friday's game. During Friday's edition of Red Sox Extra Innings, Hermida said it "felt like a bruise" and just planned to "ice the heck out of it" and hope for the best on Saturday.

First pitch is at 7:05, but we'll keep you updated until then.