BALTIMORE, Maryland April 19, 2014 - The first game of the season in Fenway Park was no trouble for the Orioles. It wasn't any problem for rookie Jonathan Schoop, either. The rookie infielder went 4 for 5 and knocked in two runs to pace the Birds, who moved over .500 for the first time since winning on opening day. Chris Tillman wasn't perfect or even close to it tonight, but he had enough to survive five innings in Fenway and earn his second win of the season, both over the Red Sox. Brian Matusz and Darren O'Day took over from there, with Matusz pitching a career high 2 and two-thirds innings of relief and O'Day pitching the final inning and one-third, and giving up no hits to earn his first save. The Birds outhit the home team, 15-11.
The Orioles broke on top in the first inning when Nick Markakis led off with a disputed double, moved to third when Chris Davis grounded out, and scored on an infield hit by Adam Jones. The Red Sox alleged that the ball hit by Markakis was foul and the umpires took a look at the replay and declined to change their original "fair" call. The Oriles made it 4-0 in the third with another Markakis double playing a key role. Schoop led off with an infield hit and immediately scored on the Markakis double. After Delmon Young flew out to center, Chris Davis walked and Adam Jones got his second infield hit of the night to load the bases. Nelson Cruz then plated two runs with a solid single.
Boston got a run back in the fourth inning on a single by Brock Holt that scored Mike Carp, who had led off with a double. Each team then scored twice in the fifth, leaving the score at 6-3, Orioles. Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy knocked in the runs in the Oriole fifth, while Dustin Pedroia and A. J. Pierzynski plated Boston's runs. Baltimore scored an insurance run in the seventh on three consecutive two-out hits. Hardy and Steve Lombardozzi each singled after two were out, and Hardy then scored when Schoop doubled. But the Red Sox got the run back in their half of the seventh, and might have gotten more were it not for an outstanding throw by David Lough, who only entered the game as the Sox were coming to bat as a defensive replacement for Delmon Young in left field. Mike Napoli doubled to lead off the Boston seventh. Then, with one out, Xander Bogaerts singled sharply to left, scoring Napoli. But Bogaerts raced around first and tried to stretch his hit into a double. He was out at second, however, when Lough fielded the hit and fired a strike to Lombardozzi. Baltimore did get an insurance run in the ninth on another Schoop double, which scored Lombardozzi, who had singled.
The series continues tomorrow at 1:35 pm. Here are the American League East Standings up to the minute:
1. New York Yankees: 10 wins, 7 losses, .588 pct
2. Baltimore Orioles: 8 wins, 7 losses, .533 pct, 1 game behind
3. Toronto Blue Jays: 9 wins, 8 losses, .529 pct, 1 game behind
4. Tampa Bay Rays: 8 wins, 9 losses, .471 pct, 2 games behind
5. Boston Red Sox: 7 wins, 10 losses, .412 pct, 3 games behind
In other American League East games Friday, the Rays beat the Yankees, 11-5; and Toronto beat the Cleveland Indians, 3-2.
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