Red Sox 8 - 7 Orioles
Final
  for this game

Slumping Red Sox aim to regroup in Baltimore

Sep 27, 2011 - 2:51 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox' once comfortable lead atop the American League wild card standings is now gone. Tonight, the Red Sox try to bounce back once again when they play the middle test of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

Thanks to losses in 20 of their last 27 games, the Red Sox now find themselves tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the final postseason spot in the American League. Boston's slide continued in Monday's opener as Robert Andino's three- run, inside-the-park home run capped a four-run sixth inning, lifting Baltimore to a 6-3 win.

Coupled with Tampa Bay's 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees, the Rays and Sox enter action tonight with identical 89-71 records with two games remaining.

"We know we have to win two games now," Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury said. "We have to come out in the next two days and compete. We have to look at it like these are playoff games."

Chris Davis added two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Orioles, who have won five of seven.

Troy Patton (2-1) turned in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.

Jed Lowrie homered and Dustin Pedroia posted two hits and an RBI for the reeling Red Sox, who have dropped 19 of 25 games in September. It is their worst record in September since going 4-18 in 1926.

Josh Beckett (13-7) was charged in defeat with seven hits and six runs over six full frames.

Tonight, the Red Sox turn to oft-injured lefty Erik Bedard, who was acquired by the team at the trade deadline, but has gone just 1-2 in seven starts for them. Bedard couldn't get out of the third inning against Baltimore last Tuesday, as he allowed four runs (one earned) and five hits with two walks in a 2 2/3 inning no-decision.

Bedard, who pitched the first five years of his career with the O's, is 1-0 in four starts against his former team with a 2.79 ERA.

Baltimore will counter with rookie left-hander Zach Britton, who is 11-10 with a 4.44 ERA. Britton won his second straight start on Thursday in Detroit, despite giving up five runs and six hits in five innings.

With another win tonight he would become the first O's rookie to win 12 games tonight since Daniel Cabrera went 12-8 in 2004.

However, that might be difficult, as he lasted just two-thirds of an inning the last time he faced the Red Sox, surrendering eight runs (seven earned) and six hits.

Boston is 9-7 against the Orioles this season, but has lost four of the last five meetings.






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