• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Red Sox, Orioles play rubber match at Camden Yards

Apr 3, 2014 - 1:57 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Red Sox try to make it two straight wins on Thursday when they play the rubber match of their three-game season-opening set against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

After dropping the opener, Boston picked up its first win on Wednesday, as Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer and added a two-run single to help the Red Sox to a 6-2 victory.

David Ortiz added a two-run blast, while Dustin Pedroia finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored for the Red Sox, who are just 1-for-15 through two games with runners in scoring position.

John Lackey (1-0) lasted six innings, giving up two runs on three hits while fanning six for the win.

"His last outing of spring training was similar to tonight. I thought his first three innings he was as good as we've seen him in any point of time," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "They extended him in the fourth inning for a 35-pitch inning, but he was able to finish out the later innings and turn it over to the bullpen for three solid innings."

Nelson Cruz hit a two-run shot and J.J. Hardy collected two hits for the Orioles.

Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1) came up short in his Baltimore debut, charged in the loss for five hits and four runs with six strikeouts and three walks over six full frames.

"You always want to win, but it is part of the game. That is how it goes. I still have 30 more games to go, so I have to be ready for my next start," Jimenez said.

Getting the call for the Red Sox on Thursday will be lefty Felix Doubront, who was 11-6 a year ago with a 4.32 ERA. He is just 1-2 lifetime versus the Orioles with a 4.54 ERA in nine games (5 starts).

"This is a big year for me," said Doubront. "I know that and I went into the offseason thinking that I have to be strong mentally and physically and try to be healthy the whole year. You never know what's going to happen, but you have to be prepared."

Doubront is also 0-2 in five appearances at Camden Yards.

Baltimore, meanwhile, will counter with Wei-Yin Chen, who missed nearly two months last season with a right oblique strain. Chen still finished the year 7-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 23 games.

The Taiwanese lefty has faced the Red Sox seven times and is 2-2 with a 5.08 ERA against them.

"We pitched pretty well the last two games, but you're going to have to pitch real well to compete with them," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter. "That's why they were the last team standing last year. They're a good club and everything, but they pitch real well."

Baltimore was 11-8 against the Red Sox last season.