G125: Red Sox 6, Orioles 3

Red Sox - 020 000 022 - 6  9  0
Orioles - 000 100 020 - 3  5  1

Lester (7-4-1-1-5, 103) and Jason Bay (two home runs, one single, two runs, four RBI, one stolen base) led the way.

Jonathan Papelbon came into the game with two outs in the eighth inning. He allowed a double to Aubrey Huff, which scored two of Manny Delcarmen's runners and shrunk the Boston lead to one run, 4-3. The Red Sox got some insurance in the top of the ninth, as Dustin Pedroia singled and scored on Ortiz's second double of the game. Ortiz then scored on a fielder's choice from Bay.

Also: Jason Varitek hit a solo homer and Coco Crisp singled and walked twice.

Tampa Bay beat Los Angeles 6-4, so the Red Sox stay 4.5 GB, while the Yankees drop to 10 GB.

***

Jon Lester (3.25, 138 ERA+) / Jeremy Guthrie (3.18, 137 ERA+)

The Red Sox are 28-35 (.444) away from Fenway Park. In other words, they are the Pirates or the Royals or the Reds when they are on the road.

With Tampa Bay hosting the Angels for three games, followed by a weekend set in Chicago against the White Sox, this would be a good time for Boston to close the widening gap in the AL East. The Rays went 7-3 on their just-completed road trip, bumping their divisional lead over the Red Sox from 3 to 4.5 GA.

Boston will play three games in each of Baltimore, Toronto, and New York. Jason Bay: "Three divisional opponents, three teams that I've heard play us pretty tough. ... You have to win on the road."

Guthrie has allowed only one run in each of his last four starts (IP: 6.1, 9, 7, 7) and no more than two runs in six of his last seven outings (2.06 ERA).

Also: Angels/Rays at 7 PM. The Yankees (9.5 GB) are off today before starting a series in Toronto on Tuesday.

***

J.D. Drew left yesterday's game with tightness in his lower back. ... Tim Wakefield tossed a ball for the second consecutive day, but there's no timetable for his return. ... Jonathan Papelbon is still battling migraines.