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Wigginton's HR helps Orioles beat Red Sox 9-1

Sep 22, 2010 - 4:13 AM By HOWARD ULMAN AP Sports Writer

BOSTON(AP) -- Ty Wigginton hadn't hit a homer in 25 games so he wasn't picky about how he broke the streak.

The Orioles first baseman pulled a pitch just over the low wall next to the foul pole in right field for a three-run shot, breaking a seventh-inning tie and lifting Baltimore to a 9-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

"It feels good any time you get a homer," Wigginton said. "You take them any way you can get them."

On Monday night, he broke another seventh-inning tie with a sacrifice fly to deep center and the Orioles beat the Red Sox 4-2.

"I joked with him (Monday) when he could have had two homers, probably, in the wind," Baltimore's Brian Roberts said. "I said, 'You'll get a cheap one, I'm sure, don't worry.' I was kidding I didn't know that there were cheap homers out there, but it was good for him because he's been swinging the bat really well and hasn't had a ton to show for it lately."

Wigginton's 21st homer came off Scott Atchison (2-3) and made the score 4-1. Boston manager Terry Francona had planned to keep starter Clay Buchholz in the game if second baseman Marco Scutaro had caught Felix Pie's high popup for the third out in the sixth. Instead, it ticked off Scutaro's glove for an error and Adam Jones, who had singled scored the tying run.

Buchholz needed six more pitches to end the inning, bringing his total to 112 and ending Francona's plan to stay with Buchholz and finish up with his best relievers, Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon.

Scutaro, Francona said. "didn't get behind (the ball) and you could see once it got over his head he wasn't going to catch up to it."

Baltimore's Brad Bergesen (8-10) gave up one run and five hits in six innings as he allowed three runs or fewer for the ninth time in his last 10 starts. He finished his outing by retiring Daniel Nava on a called third strike.

"Emotions were really flying high after getting a hold like that with second and third," Bergesen said, "and to get the call right there (we were) able to go in and give our team a chance to take the lead."

Cesar Izturis led off the top of the seventh with a single and was forced at second on a grounder by Roberts. Nick Markakis singled and Wigginton hit Atchison's first pitch to him for a homer.

"I've got to come in right there and keep it at 1-1 and give the offense a chance to get us back ahead," Atchison said. "Wigginton hit a decent pitch and put it in the right spot."

The Orioles added a run in the eighth on Robert Andino's sacrifice fly and four in the ninth off Papelbon.

"It's tough when you bring a closer in a non-save situation," Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez said. "You're used to coming in with the game on the line."

Buchholz allowed one unearned run and four hits in six innings, lowering his ERA from 2.48 to 2.39, second in the AL to Seattle's Felix Hernandez at 2.35.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the second on Nava's RBI single before Scutaro's error allowed the tying run.

The Red Sox threatened in the seventh with two outs and runners at first and third, but David Ortiz struck out for the 54th time in 170 at-bats against lefties when he looked at a third strike from Michael Gonzalez.

Bergesen allowed one hit in his last three innings, Ryan Kalish's double in the sixth. In his last start on Sept. 15, a 3-1 win over Toronto, he pitched his third career complete game. His ERA over his last 10 starts is 2.31.

Buchholz struck out five and gave up four hits and three walks but allowed runners in each of his innings. In three of them, he again showed his knack for working out of trouble by stranding runners at third base. Opponents are hitting .168 with runners in scoring position against him, the lowest average in the AL.

Then he left and Wigginton connected while trying just to hit the ball to right fielder J.D. Drew for a sacrifice fly.

"I was looking for a cutter," Wigginton said. "The ball cut a little bit more than I was expecting and when I hit it I knew it was deep enough for B-Rob to tag. As I'm running, I'm like, 'this thing's got a chance,' and I saw it sneak out of here."

Notes: In his last four starts against Baltimore, Buchholz has allowed one earned run and 17 hits in 28 innings for a 0.32 ERA. ... The Orioles are 29-17 with Buck Showalter as manager after going 32-73 under Dave Trembley and Juan Samuel. ... For Boston, Adrian Beltre went 0 for 4 with three fly outs to right and a groundout to second, while Drew went 0 for 4 with three groundouts to second and a fly out to right. ... Baltimore is 16-7 in its last 23 games overall and 9-8 against Boston this season. ... Scutaro has reached base safely in 10 straight games.