Get a little bit and give up a lot. That seems to be the Baltimore Orioles? modus operandi when it comes to the Boston Red Sox.
It was another day with the same old results for the Orioles against Boston, as they were crushed 11-1 before a crowd of 25,607 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Monday.
It was the Orioles? 12th straight loss to the Red Sox, the longest streak in the series between the two AL East teams.
“They?re in our division. You play them an awful lot of times,” Orioles? manager Sam Perlozzo said. “You?ve certainly got to beat some of the teams in your division a little bit. Sooner or later, we?ve got to beat these guys. They beat up on everyone else.”
Baltimore has lost all seven head-to-head match-ups this season. That futility was on full-display as the Red Sox brought their season total to 56 runs scored against Orioles pitching.
Orioles? reliever LaTroy Hawks said Boston acts as a predator.
“We can?t make mistakes against them. You can?t make mistakes. They capitalize on all our mistakes,” Hawkins said.
Success against the Red Sox is but a fleeting thing for the Orioles. Miguel Tejada hit his 12th home run of the season in the first inning only to see starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez promptly surrender a two-run home run in the second, four runs in the third and two in the fifth inning. Lopez officially lasted only four innings.
Lopez entered the contest 10-7 lifetime, but that meant little as he has not won since the season opener April 3 and is among the league leaders in home runs surrendered, with 12. His ERA is now 7.86 as he fell to 1-6 on the season.
Meanwhile, Boston starting pitcher Josh Beckett celebrated his 26th birthday in style, allowing just two hits in seven innings. To make matters worse,
Boston manager Terry Francona celebrated his 500th victory with win.
The struggles could continue as Curt Schilling is scheduled to throw for Boston today. The former Baltimore prospect and possible Hall of Famer has a 5-2 record with a 3.76 ERA this season.
The Orioles placed starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera on the 15-DL after he injured his shoulder in Sunday?s win over the Kansas City Royals. The team announced that an MRI revealed a muscle strain in his right shoulder.
Perlozzo said he will not need to plug a pitcher into Cabrera?s spot in the rotation until May 23rd and said: “We have lots of options. We?ll just see how we go.”
The organization could call up one its most promising players, Hayden Penn, from Class AAA Ottawa. Penn is 1-2 with a 1.93 ERA for the Lynx.
Relievers John Halama and Kurt Birkins have starting pitching experience.
Halama gave up two home runs in relief Monday. Birkins has pitched very well out of the bullpen.
“I?m going to do whatever they ask me to do. If they ask me to start, I?ll do it to the best my ability,” Birkins said.
