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Red Sox send Miller to hill in Camden finale

Jul 20, 2011 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - Andrew Miller tries to bounce back from his worst outing of the season Wednesday when the Boston Red Sox wrap up a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

Miller had been terrific for Boston through his first four appearances, but was roughed up by the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in his first start out of the break, as he allowed seven runs, five hits and walked five batters in just 2 2/3 innings.

"I just fell behind in some counts and a lot of deep counts, a lot of 3-2 counts," said Miller, who fell to 3-1 on the year and saw his earned run average swell more than two runs to 5.68. "I have to do a better job of attacking the zone instead of trying to hit the corners the whole time. I felt good coming in. I just went out there and didn't do a very good job."

Although Miller recorded just eight outs, he labored through 85 pitches and failed to register a strikeout for the second straight start.

"The walks really hurt," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "The strike-to- ball ratio, I don't think was horrible, but when he threw his balls, they were all bunched together. It was just a tough way to pitch. His pitch count was so high. It was kind of obvious that something was not going right."

Miller had beaten the Orioles in his previous outing, surrendering three runs and six hits in five innings. He is 1-0 in two starts against them with a 3.00 ERA.

While the sample size isn't much for most of the Orioles, Mark Reynolds is one player who has given Miller fits, going 4-for-7 against him three RBI.

Miller should have plenty of support behind him, as the Red Sox have plated 65 runs over their last nine games while swatting 21 homers during that same span. Their 65 home runs on the road this season are a major league-high.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning for the Red Sox on Tuesday night, but Baltimore won the second game of the series, 6-2, behind seven good innings from starter Jeremy Guthrie.

The Orioles witnessed first hand just how potent the Red Sox offense can be when it erupted for 15 runs on Monday, including eight in the eighth inning, during a 15-10 win.

Guthrie (4-13) helped slow down that attack, picking up his first win since June 26 after allowing two runs and eight hits. He helped stop Baltimore's seven-game losing streak to Boston.

The Red Sox lost for only the third time in 16 games.

Wednesday, the Orioles will send right-hander Jake Arrieta to the mound. He is 9-6 on the year, but has been awful of late. Arrieta was roughed up on Friday by Cleveland to the tune of five runs and eight hits in five innings, but escaped with a no-decision.

In losing three of his last four decisions, Arrieta has pitched to a 6.92 ERA.

"Each time I go out I'm trying to win a game for the team, and not being able to do that in my last three or four starts, it is not a good feeling," Arrieta said. "Pile that on top of the way that things have been going overall collectively as a team, it doesn't feel great."

Arrieta absorbed the loss against Miller and the Red Sox on July 7, allowing five runs (four earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 frames. He is 0-1 lifetime versus Boston with a 6.75 ERA in two starts.

Boston will once again be without slugger David Ortiz and Baltimore will try to get by without closer Kevin Gregg, as the two sit out the final game of their three-game suspensions on Wednesday for their part in the wild weekend at Fenway Park before the All-Star break.