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Red Sox-Orioles Preview

Apr 30, 2010 - 3:54 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Boston (11-11) at Baltimore (4-17), 7:05 p.m. EDT

A week ago, the Boston Red Sox were trying to turn around a sluggish start to the season. A timely series with the team owning the worst record in baseball provided the spark they needed.

The now-surging Red Sox look to continue their dominance of the Baltimore Orioles as they open a three-game series at Camden Yards on Friday night.

Boston (11-11) was six-hit in a 3-0 loss to Texas on April 22, falling to 6-10 for its worst start in 14 years.

The Red Sox, though, began to regroup by taking two of three from the Orioles (4-18) at home last weekend to improve to 25-4 against them since July 11, 2008.

They've won 10 of 12 at Camden Yards, including eight in a row.

Boston carried the momentum created against Baltimore into the next series by sweeping a three-game series at Toronto, capped by a 2-0 win Wednesday.

"Once we get on a bit of a roll it's hard to stop us," starter Jon Lester said after combining with two relievers on a two-hitter Wednesday. "If we keep putting games together like that, pitching and hitting when we need to, things will take care of themselves."

John Lackey (2-1, 5.09 ERA) is trying to put together a strong stretch of his own. The right-hander beat the Orioles on Saturday, allowing three runs and a season-high 10 hits in seven innings of a 7-6 win. The performance was a vast improvement from his previous outing five days prior, when he was pulled after allowing eight runs in 3 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to Tampa Bay.

Lackey might be in for another solid effort against Baltimore. He's 6-1 with a 2.61 ERA in eight starts versus the Orioles.

"I never really think about numbers, honestly," Lackey told the team's official website. "You want to try to make all your starts and give the team a chance to win as many times as I can. Ultimately, you only think about team goals."

The Red Sox's surge has coincided with the recall of Darnell McDonald from Triple-A Pawtucket on April 20. The center fielder, who was drafted 26th overall by Baltimore in 1997, is hitting .333 with two doubles, two homers and six RBIs to help Boston win seven of nine.

Adrian Beltre, who leads the Red Sox with a .320 average, has also been hot of late, going 10 for 21 with three RBIs in the last six games. The third baseman has feasted on Baltimore pitchers, hitting .536 with one homer and six RBIs in seven games.

The Orioles, 1-8 at home, are already assured of their worst April since a franchise-worst 1-22 start in 1988, which included setting a major league record by losing their first 21.

Baltimore lost again Thursday, getting three-hit in a 4-0 loss to the New York Yankees. The team is last in the AL, scoring 3.33 runs per game.

David Hernandez (0-3, 4.84) is familiar with the Orioles' offensive issues. The right-hander has received two total runs of support in four starts.

Hernandez got only one run Sunday while he allowed three runs and four hits in five innings of a 7-6, 10-inning win at Boston.

He's 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in five starts against the Red Sox.