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Matusz, O's spoil Youkilis' return

May 23, 2012 - 4:52 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Brian Matusz tossed 6 1/3 innings of two-hit, one-run ball as the Baltimore Orioles downed the Boston Red Sox, 4-1, in the middle contest of a three-game set at Camden Yards.

Matusz (4-4) tied a career-high with nine strikeouts while walking just one, with his only blemish coming on a solo shot in the fourth. Jim Johnson tossed a perfect ninth to record his league-leading 16th save of the season.

Steve Tolleson and Wilson Betemit each clubbed two-run homers for the O's, who improved to 4-1 against their AL East rivals this season.

Felix Doubront (4-2) struck out nine in defeat, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks. Kevin Youkilis belted a solo shot in his first game since April 28, but the Red Sox had their three-game win streak halted.

Baltimore struck first in the bottom of the second. After Betemit worked a leadoff walk, Tolleson followed two batters later with his first home run of the season to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead.

"I was really just trying to put the ball in play through the hole and move the runner over," remarked Tolleson. "He gave me a pitch and I just reacted to it."

Youkilis shook off the rust of a 22-game absence in the fourth, launching a two-out blast to center field to cut the Boston deficit in half.

"That's a good a swing as I've seen Youk have," said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine about Youkilis' homer. "Center field power and sprinting around the bases, that was a good sight."

Matusz then retired eight straight after the Youkilis homer, with five coming via strikeout, before being lifted with one out in the seventh in favor of Darren O'Day, who fanned both Red Sox he faced to end the frame.

Baltimore tacked on some insurance in the eighth when Matt Wieters worked a two-out walk to set the table for Betemit, who clubbed his seventh homer of the season over the wall in right to provide some breathing room for Johnson in the ninth.

Game Notes

Baltimore's Adam Jones extended his hit streak to a career-high 14 games with a two-out single in the bottom of the third...Tolleson's homer was the second of his career and his first since September 26, 2010...Boston's Dustin Pedroia had his 20-game hit streak against Baltimore snapped with an 0-for-4 night.