G141: Red Sox 7, Orioles 6

Neither starter made it out of the fourth inning. Wakefield was either rusty or his back was still acting up: 3.2-9-6-2-0, 74. It was the first Wakefield start this season in which he did not get a decision.

Kyle Synder came in and got the last out of the fourth and pitched a scoreless fifth. Clay Buchholz threw three scoreless innings (Weren't the Sox limiting him to one inning per outing?). Most of his early pitches were up, as he walked his first batter, allowed a single and then walked his third batter. But after Mike Lowell started a 5-2-3 double play, CB calmed down. Baltimore did not get another runner on base, as he fanned Kevin Millar to end the sixth, then pitched a perfect seventh and eighth.

In the top of the ninth, Coco Crisp (who also singled and scored in the third and belted a three-run dong in the 4th) reached on an infield hit that Brian Roberts could not bare hand. Crisp stole second and scored on pinch-hitter Jason Varitek's opposite-field single to left.

Jonathan Papelbon needed only 11 pitches to shut down the O's in the bottom of the ninth, finishing the game with a called strike three on Millar.

MFY were off tonight, so we lead the East by 6.5.

Magic #: Sweet 16.

***

Tim Wakefield (4.16, 109 ERA+) / Garret Olson (7.22, 62 ERA+)

Olson has faced the Red Sox twice this year -- August 11 and September 1 -- pitching a total of 11.2 innings and allowing 15 hits, 11 walks, and 8 runs.