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Red Sox rally to sweep Orioles

Sep 3, 2008 - 11:25 PM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Dustin Pedroia worked his magic again as the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the hapless Baltimore Orioles.

Pedroia homered to jump-start a lethargic lineup and added a key double while Alex Cora scored the winning run on a throwing error in the ninth inning as the Red Sox wiped out a four-run deficit to beat the Orioles, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon.

Cora led off the ninth with a single and advanced to second on Coco Crisp's bunt hit that skipped off the first base line and back into fair territory.

"I think Coco even thought that ball was going to be foul," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Fortunately, he kicked it in gear and, not only does the bunt get the runner over, but we don't give up another out to boot."

"The first bunt hits a cleat mark and kicks fair," said rookie Jim Miller (0-1), who took the loss in his second career appearance. "That's just the nature of the game."

Jacoby Ellsbury laid down a sacrifice that Miller fielded cleanly and fired over the head of third baseman Aubrey Huff, allowing Cora to trot home with the winning run and spark yet another celebration at Fenway Park.

"It just came out a little too early," Miller said. "It just came out to side instead of in front of my face like it needs to be on that play. But in that situation, that's where that play's got to be. I think if I make that throw the way it needs to be made, I've got a good chance of getting him."

Baltimore's duo of Lance Cormier and Dennis Sarfate combined to allow just three hits over six scoreless innings as the Orioles jumped out to a 4-0 lead before their bullpen caved in.

"It was nice," Pedroia said of the comeback. "We looked tired the first five or six innings, and then we just turned it up. It was a good win."

With three more hits, including his 17th homer leading off the seventh, Pedroia is now batting .333 to lead the American League.

"I don't remember the last time we swept a team," Pedroia said. "Now we have to just keep going. We go to Texas and try to win games there."

For the record, the Red Sox completed their first three-game sweep since taking three straight from Texas from August 12-14.

The Red Sox did not have runner reach second against either Cormier or Sarfate. But beginning with Pedroia's homer, the Red Sox managed a pair of runs in the seventh and eighth, including Mark Kotsay's game-tying triple off Rocky Cherry in the eighth.

Miller (0-1) struck out Jason Bay and Jason Varitek to end the rally but allowed the winning run in the ninth for the loss in his second career appearance.

Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed four runs and four hits over six innings, and left trailing 4-0.

Brian Roberts opened the game with a double to left. One out later, Nick Markakis lofted a fly to the warning track in left-center that Crisp dropped. The two-base error allowed Roberts to score the first run of the game.

Baltimore gave its pitchers more of a cushion in the fourth when Luke Scott and Guillermo Quiroz chipped in with RBI singles and Lou Montanez drove home a run with a ground out.

Starting for righthander Jeremy Guthrie, who was pushed back to Sunday due to a tired arm, Cormier made his 24th career start and first since taking the mound for Atlanta on September 15, 2007 at Washington. The righthander held the Red Sox scoreless over his three innings, allowing two hits while striking out one.

Sarfate was even more impressive, allowing just one hit while striking out five in his three-inning stint.

"It's one of those things you've just got to do," Sarfate said. "I was able to help the team out and Cormier did a great job. Guys are pitching a little bit tired. Guys have to pick each other up and hopefully turn it around after this game."

Justin Masterson (5-4) came on in the eighth and pitched the ninth to record the win for Boston.

The dramatic win came on a landmark day for the Red Sox, who tied the major-league record for consecutive home sellouts at 455. The Red Sox are expected to pass Cleveland (1995-2001) for the all-time mark on Monday when they return home from Texas to face Tampa Bay.