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Orioles rally late, sink Red Sox

Jun 11, 2008 - 3:04 AM By Tony Lee PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Baltimore Orioles are beginning to wear out Hideki Okajima.

Aubrey Huff tied a career high with four hits and highlighted a three-run rally against the All-Star reliever with a game-tying two-run single to spark the Baltimore Orioles to a comeback 10-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday at Fenway Park.

The Orioles pounded out 15 hits against four Red Sox pitchers in picking up their sixth win in eight games, with the decisive rally coming in the seventh against the struggling Okajima.

J.D. Drew and Manny Ramirez hit consecutive homers in the bottom of the fifth inning - the sixth in nine games for both sluggers - to give starter Boston starter Josh Beckett a 6-4 lead, but Okajima (1-2) - a lock in such situations last year - had a woeful outing in relief as the Red Sox lost for just the second time in their last 17 home games.

"You've got to show poise when you come in here and you play these guys," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said when asked the importance of handing the Red Sox a rare Fenway setback. "The game can get away from you in a hurry if you don't."

Instead, it got away from Boston.

Okajima, who gave up a career high-tying four runs in a loss to the Orioles earlier this month, walked two batters around a double by Nick Markakis with one out in the seventh.

After singling twice in three trips against Beckett, Huff lined a 2-2 delivery from Okajima to center field to drive in two and chase the lefty. Kevin Millar then greeted Manny Delcarmen with a fly ball that brought in Melvin Mora with the go-ahead run.

Huff admits there is nothing new to Baltimore's approach to the Japanese import; it's just a matter of waiting him out.

"I just go out there and try to get a pitch to hit against him, it's that simple" Huff said. "He threw a couple of heaters today I couldn't get to that were pretty well placed. He left the changeup up a little bit. Other than that we've been real patient with him."

Okajima is now 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA and three blown saves in five games against Baltimore this year. He was battling throughout his outing Tuesday, spoiling any plans Red Sox manager Terry Francona had of using him into the eighth.

"He was up with a lot of pitches and behind in the count," Francona said. "He made some real good pitches to start the inning to (Orioles shortstop Freddie Bynum) and then he walked Brian Roberts and then he had to start getting a little more careful, got another walk, and Huff got a ball up and hit it real well.

"Those are the runs."

However, they were not all the Orioles had coming to them.

Huff had another hit during a three-run rally in the ninth for the Orioles, who used five pitchers in relief of Daniel Cabrera to nail down the victory. Dennis Sarfate (4-1) threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win.

Boston helped the cause by grounding into double plays in the first, second, sixth and eighth innings.

Cabrera was reached for six runs and seven hits in five innings. He was given an early 4-1 lead on back-to-back two-run doubles by Bynum and Roberts in the second, but lost it when the Red Sox scratched two runs in the third and got three more in the fifth on the homers by Drew and Ramirez.

Beckett settled down after the second, giving up four runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one.

Calling his outing a "battle," Beckett made reference to an odd feel for the baseball on a muggy night.

"I watched every reliever that came in," he said. "I think everybody was battling for (the feel). Balls just have a little moisture on them. I don't know if it's because of where we stored them or what but they just had a little moisture on them and it was pretty rough."

Ramirez hit into a double play with the bases loaded to plate Boston's first run in the first. His blast over the Green Monster followed Drew's two-run shot to right and gave Ramirez sole possession of 23rd place on the all-time home run list with 505, passing Hall of Famer Eddie Murray.

Murray presented Ramirez with a plaque before the game for reaching the 500-homer mark.