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O's blank Red Sox

Sep 9, 2014 - 7:08 AM Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Miguel Gonzalez teamed up with four Baltimore relievers on a seven-hit shutout as the Orioles opened a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox with a 4-0 victory at Fenway Park.

Gonzalez (9-7) scattered six hits -- all singles -- and three walks over 6 1/3 innings to win his third consecutive start. The right-hander was coming off a complete-game four-hitter in a 6-0 triumph over Cincinnati last Wednesday.

Nelson Cruz continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored for Baltimore. Steve Pearce also had a pair of hits, including an RBI single.

"It's just a step. Every night you get an opportunity to take a step towards your goal," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter.

Joe Kelly (1-2) was dealt the loss after being reached for four runs -- three earned -- in 6 1/3 innings of work.

"I thought he threw the ball really well," Boston catcher David Ross said about Kelly. "A couple walks came back to bite us and we didn't play great defense behind him."

The Orioles staked Gonzalez to an early lead when consecutive second-inning singles by Cruz, Chris Davis and Pearce brought in a run. The right-hander took it from there, keeping Boston off the scoreboard while carrying a three- hit shutout into the seventh.

Kelly matched zeros with Gonzalez over the third through fifth innings, but encountered some trouble in the sixth as Baltimore created some distance.

Cruz, fresh off a two-homer, seven-RBI performance Sunday at Tampa Bay, drew a leadoff walk and Kelly hit Davis with a pitch in front of Pearce's single that loaded the bases. Kelly then struck out Caleb Joseph looking, but Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts one-hopped a throw to first on Ryan Flaherty's fielder's choice grounder to enable both Cruz and Davis to cross the plate.

Two more Boston errors allowed Baltimore to tack on another score in the sixth. Ross threw wildly on a steal attempt to put Alejandro De Aza on third, right before Yoenis Cespedes dropped Adam Jones' fly ball to left as De Aza trotted home for a 4-0 advantage.

The Red Sox put forth their best scoring threat in their half of the seventh, chasing Gonzalez on successive one-out singles by Mike Napoli, Daniel Nava and Bogaerts. Tommy Hunter got out of the bases-loaded jam, though, with back-to- back strikeouts of Will Middlebrooks and Ross.

Hunter got two more outs in the eighth and Darren O'Day finished the inning unscathed after Brian Matusz gave up a double to David Ortiz. Ryan Webb polished off the shutout with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Game Notes

Since returning from a 17-day stint in the minors last month, Gonzalez has gone 3-1 with a 0.94 ERA in four starts. He's now allowed two runs or less while pitching six innings in nine of his last 10 outings ... The Red Sox have now lost 10 of 12 at home ... Baltimore has won in eight of its last 12 visits to Fenway Park dating back to last season.