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Paulino, Chavez get key hits in 10th for Orioles

Jun 6, 2012 - 5:00 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Ronny Paulino and Endy Chavez both stroked RBI singles in the 10th inning Tuesday and the Baltimore Orioles survived for an 8-6 win over the Boston Red Sox to open a three-game series.

The go-ahead runs came after Jarrod Saltalamacchia tied the game for the Red Sox with a two-out, two-strike, two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Saltalamacchia's blast was reviewed because it hit off the ledge at the top of the Green Monster after a fan made contact with the ball while trying to catch it in his hat.

The Orioles won for just the second time in their last nine games and tied the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East.

J.J. Hardy, Mark Reynolds and Steve Pearce hit RBI singles in a three-run seventh inning that had the Orioles in the lead until Saltalamacchia's homer.

Working his second inning, Alfredo Aceves (0-3) walked Reynolds leading off the 10th. Pearce followed with a sacrifice bunt and Paulino smacked a single up the middle to score Reynolds for the go-ahead run.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty followed with a single and Chavez's base hit to right knocked in Paulino to make it 8-6.

Jim Johnson (1-0) blew his first save in 18 opportunities this season but came back out and threw a perfect 10th to lock down the win.

"It was my fault so I wanted to get back out there," admitted Johnson. "The guys picked me up and everyone contributed tonight so it was good to see that."

The Red Sox have lost two in a row and three of four. They got second baseman Dustin Pedroia back for the first time since May 28 -- he was out with a torn adductor muscle in his right thumb -- and he had a sacrifice fly.

Orioles starter Jason Hammel gave up two runs -- one earned -- and struck out seven in just five innings while Jon Lester allowed four runs -- two earned -- and fanned five in six innings for the Red Sox.

The Orioles improved to 5-2 against the Red Sox this season and have won six in a row at Fenway Park. The latest win came in a back-and-forth game.

Baltimore took a 6-4 lead in the seventh, scoring the first two runs allowed by Red Sox reliever Scott Atchison since April 25. Chavez, Robert Andino and Hardy hit singles to start the inning, scoring Chavez, and Atchison was lifted for Matt Albers after walking Matt Wieters to load the bases.

Reynolds then dropped an RBI single into shallow right and Pearce followed with a base hit to right to make it 6-4.

David Ortiz singled in the ninth off Johnson and Saltalamacchia fouled off three straight 1-2 pitches before popping the fourth to the opposite field for his 11th homer of the season.

Seeing how the ball came off the wall, Orioles manager Buck Showalter quickly left the dugout and the play was reviewed for several minutes before being ruled a homer, tying the game.

"The guys fought back the whole game," said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. "They did a heck of a job."

Earlier, the Orioles scored two runs in the third inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Adam Jones and Wieters to take the lead. Shortstop Mike Aviles bobbled a potential double-play ball that could have gotten the Red Sox out of the inning before any runs scored.

Aviles singled in an error-filled fifth inning for the Orioles, leading to a pair of Red Sox runs.

Daniel Nava, who reached on an error by first baseman Reynolds to lead off, scored from second on Scott Podsednik's sacrifice bunt when third baseman Steve Tolleson missed Reynolds' throw. Aviles came home a batter later on Pedroia's sac fly to center to make it 2-2.

The Orioles took a 3-2 lead in the sixth after Wieters led off with a double, went to third on Reynolds' single and scored on Pearce's sac fly to center.

Boston went on top 4-3 against Troy Patton in the bottom of the inning with a rally started by Ryan Sweeney's one-out walk. He went to second on Nava's single and scored on Aviles' base hit to the left field wall. Podsednik's sac fly to center plated Nava for the lead.

Game Notes

The Red Sox activated outfielder Darnell McDonald from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-handed pitcher Daniel Bard to Triple-A Pawtucket. McDonald went on the DL last month with a right oblique strain...Boston began a six-game homestand...The Orioles moved to 2-5 on a nine-game road trip...Atchison had only given up three runs in 31 1/3 innings before Tuesday.