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Orioles try to play spoiler in Patriots' Day affair at Fenway

Apr 20, 2015 - 11:53 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Red Sox will try to slow down Adam Jones on Monday, as they close out a four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles in an early Patriots' Day start at Fenway Park.

Patriots' Day celebrates the anniversary of Paul Revere's ride and the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775. It also coincides with the 119th running of the Boston Marathon, which, of course, holds a special place in the hearts of everyone following the bombings that marred the event two years ago.

"I think, as in sports it always is, it's that thing that helps everyone keep moving," said righty Justin Masterson, who will start for Boston on Monday. "Keep going, keep growing. You stay in the past, you live in the past. You forget what's going forward. Every day we come out and do this. We're moving on. Not forgetting. That's what drives us to do greater, to be greater and impact."

Jones will likely do his best to spoil the day for New England, as he has been tremendous this weekend and has the Red Sox on the verge of losing a series for the first time this season.

It was more of the same on Sunday, as Jones belted a two-run homer and three- run double to power Baltimore to an 8-3 win. Jimmy Paredes supplied three hits and scored three times and Ryan Flaherty also homered for the Orioles, who have won four of their last five.

Jones has gone 8-for-14 with five RBI in this series, part of a nine-game stretch in which he's hitting .571 with five home runs and 14 runs driven in.

His 35 RBI at Fenway are his most at any opposing stadium.

"When he's getting a pitch, he's not missing it," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said of Jones. "Adam welcomes the responsibility of being a guy that his teammates and his organization count on."

Miguel Gonzalez (2-1) earned the win after giving up three runs on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts over five innings.

Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox, who have dropped consecutive games for the first time this season. Rick Porcello (1-2) gave up all eight runs on 12 hits and three walks over five-plus frames.

"I just didn't execute pitches," said Porcello. "I made a lot of mistakes and they hit pretty much every one of them."

Masterson's return to Fenway didn't go as planned Tuesday against Washington, as he was pounded for seven runs and eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings. He had only yielded one run through the first four innings, but gave up six before exiting in the fifth.

Still, he did not get a decision, as the Red Sox rallied for a win. He is 1-0 on the year with a 7.59 ERA.

"I was a little tight. Sometimes you come out just great. I thought it was maybe going to be three or four runs, and it turned out to be seven total," Masterson said. "I thought we'd get through the fifth, get to the sixth. It didn't happen the way that I wanted it to. A little mechanics, I just have to trust everything. I was battling that mentally and physically."

Dating back to last season, the sinkerballer has allowed four or more earned runs four times in his last five starts.

Masterson is 6-6 lifetime versus the Orioles with a 5.53 ERA in 16 games (12 starts).

Baltimore, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Wei-Yin Chen, who has yet to record a decision in two starts this season, but is pitching to a 4.35 ERA. Chen pitched well against the New York Yankees on Monday, but of the four hits he allowed in six innings, two were solo home runs and his team lost, 6-5.

Chen beat the Red Sox on Patriots' Day last season and is 5-3 lifetime against them with a 4.24 ERA in 11 starts.

The Orioles were 11-8 against Boston last season.

Despite a loss to the O's last Patriots' Day, the Red Sox have won eight of their last 11 and 10 of their last 14 dating back to 2001 on the holiday. It is also 4-2 against the Orioles on this day.

The Red Sox have been scheduled to play at home on Patriots' Day every year since 1959.