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Orioles-Red Sox Preview

Jul 3, 2010 - 3:21 AM By MATT BROWN STATS Editor

Baltimore (24-54) at Boston (47-32), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The injuries keep mounting for the Boston Red Sox, but so do the wins.

With Jon Lester on the mound against the Baltimore Orioles, another victory appears probable.

Lester seeks to improve to 12-0 against major league-worst Baltimore, and may have an opportunity to give the Red Sox the AL East lead when these division rivals continue their weekend series Saturday night at Fenway Park.

Lester (9-3, 2.86 ERA) is 11-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 14 career starts against the Orioles, making him the only active pitcher with double-digit wins and no losses against any opponent. He is also riding a streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings versus Baltimore - 12 of them coming in two starts this season.

It isn't just the Orioles he's been dominating lately. The left-hander is 9-1 with a 1.88 ERA over his last 13 starts, and is coming off his second complete game of the season. Lester limited the Giants to five hits and one walk while striking out nine in Sunday's 5-1 victory at San Francisco.

"We talked before the game about being a little beat up but when your pitching is not, you always give yourself a chance," manager Terry Francona said after Lester's performance.

Francona's pitching staff, however, has not been unscathed by an injury bug that's starting to resemble a pandemic. The Red Sox added reliever Manny Delcarmen (forearm strain) and catcher Jason Varitek (broken foot) Friday to a disabled list that includes five former All-Stars among its 10 players. Starting catcher Victor Martinez, opening-night starter Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Lowell and Jacoby Ellsbury are all on the DL, and center fielder Mike Cameron is day-to-day with abdominal soreness.

Incredibly, Boston (48-32) keeps on winning. The Red Sox improved to a major league-best 29-12 since May 18 after a 3-2 victory in Friday's series opener. If they win this contest and the Yankees lose to Toronto on Saturday afternoon, Boston will wake up July 4 in first place for the first time since beating New York in its season opener.

"We're in a good spot and that's the good thing," Varitek said. "Losing a couple of guys, having to adjust with that and then move from there. There's a reason we are where we're at because we've had contributions from a lot of people."

One of those people is Daniel Nava, an unheralded 27-year-old rookie outfielder batting .304 with 12 RBIs in 16 games since being called up last month. Nava drove in Friday's winning run with a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the eighth, improving to 5 for 9 with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Baltimore (24-55) has dropped two straight and three of four since a season-high four-game win streak that appears to have been an aberration. Nick Markakis' solo homer was the only extra-base hit for the Orioles in Friday's loss.

"It's frustrating," said left-hander Will Ohman, who allowed Nava's hit. "We don't deserve a loss like that."

Jeremy Guthrie (3-9. 4.30) draws the unenviable task of opposing Lester. The right-hander has dropped five straight decisions but continues to eat innings for the Orioles, having lasted at least six in all 11 of his outings since the start of May.

Guthrie allowed three runs over six innings in Sunday's 4-3 victory over Washington, but did not get the decision. He is 1-6 with a 4.52 ERA in 14 career appearances versus Boston.