• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Red Sox, O's continue heated series at Fenway

Jul 9, 2011 - 2:41 PM (Sports Network) - Two teams headed in opposite directions will square off once again in Fenway Park as the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles play the third of four weekend games with plenty of tension in the air.

In the eighth inning of yesterday's game, David Ortiz grew tired of the antics of Orioles' reliever Kevin Gregg. What ensued was a brawl between the two teams, capping an ugly Friday night that saw Boston pound Baltimore again, this time 10-3 at Fenway Park.

Ortiz smacked a three-run homer to highlight an eight-run opening inning, but the fireworks took place in the bottom of the eighth inning when he charged the mound after flying out to right-center field.

Ortiz, who also homered in Thursday's 10-4 win, saw three inside pitches during his at-bat in the eighth. Gregg's 2-0 pitch was at the belt and brushed back Ortiz, who took a slow walk toward the mound and was held back by home plate umpire Mike Estabrook and Orioles catcher Matt Wieters as the dugouts emptied.

The Red Sox DH though, got back in the box and then lifted a lazy fly ball to the outfield. As he was going to first, Gregg motioned with his glove and seemed to say something to Ortiz, who made his way from the first-base line toward the reliever. The two shoved each other and both missed punches just as the dugouts and bullpens emptied.

After the game Gregg admitted he was upset that Ortiz didn't run to first base on the fly ball.

"If he thinks there's something wrong for me saying that, he has other things he has to figure out in this game," Gregg said.

"You get tired of getting your butt kicked every night when you come in here. I'm going to stick up for what's ours, try to get the plate back. We're not backing down. We're not scared of them and their $180 million payroll. We don't care. We're here to play the game. We have just as much right to play the game here and we're going to do everything we can to win."

Ortiz, the captain of the American League team in this year's All-Star Home Run Derby and the defending champion of the event, has homered in two straight games. He was part of a six-homer parade Thursday night. He and Gregg were ejected along with Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Orioles pitcher Jim Johnson.

Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett (8-3) departed the contest after five innings due to a mildly hyperextended left knee. The Red Sox say he left for precautionary reasons.

"I've done this before," Beckett said. "It scared me when it first happened. I literally felt like bone on bone when I took it too far. Straightening it out is a little bit of an issue. He [the team doctor] thinks I'll be fine in a couple of days."

Boston is now one game up on the Yankees for first place in the ultra- competitive AL East.

To no one's surprise, Baltimore is dead last in the division, 16 games off the pace.

Reliever Alfredo Simon is slated to make his first start since April 14, 2009, for the Orioles tonight. Simon suffered a right elbow injury in that appearance and has since had Tommy John surgery.

The 30-year-old righty returned to pitch 49 games in relief with Baltimore last year, posting a 4-2 record and 17 saves with a 4.93 earned run average. Simon has appeared in seven games this season, going 1-1 with a 4.64 ERA and allowing six runs -- five earned -- over 4 1/3 innings in his most recent outing on Monday in Texas.

Simon has faced the Red Sox six times in relief, posting a save and 5.40 ERA.

The hope for the Red Sox is that John Lackey can snap out of his funk tonight, as he has done little to help the team this season, especially in recent weeks. On Monday, Lackey lasted a mere 2 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays en route to his eighth loss, and his ERA has ballooned to 7.47. He has now yielded 91 hits in 72 1/3 innings.

Lackey is 10-4 with a 3.05 ERA in his career against the Orioles, so there is reason for confidence today.

The Red Sox have won four of their six matchups with the Orioles this season.