G24: Orioles 12, Red Sox 9

Red Sox - 011 200 410 -  9 12  1
Orioles - 100 064 10x - 12 12  0

Baltimore outhomered Boston 5-4 -- two of them coming during a fifth-inning battering of Matsuzaka -- and took the second game of the series.

Dice started with a hiccup (nerves, maybe?) when he walked Adam Jones (only Jones's 3rd BB in 107 PA this year), threw away a pickoff attempt, and allowed an RBI single to Nick Markakis. He recovered to end the inning with a GIDP and a K, and then retired nine of the next ten hitters (the one man to reach base was thrown out stealing on a perfect throw from Victor Martinez).

Through 4.1 innings, Matsuzaka had allowed only one hit and the Sox had a 4-1 lead. He was at only 70 pitches -- but then the wheels came off. Home run, single, walk, fielder's choice, single, single, home run, double. And it was 7-4 Birds and Tim Wakefield was coming in for his first relief appearance in almost six years. Wake allowed three home runs as the Orioles managed to get another run or two every time the Red Sox started to creep back.

Sox Dongs: David Ortiz hit two solo bombs, and Jonathan Van Every and Kevin Youkilis each hit one homer.

Last night, Dave O'Brien expressed surprise when J.D. Drew took five straight pitches, acting as though it was both strange and rare. Well, it happened seven times tonight, including four times in the first two innings. Drew was one of the seven.

Daisuke Matsuzaka / Brad Bergesen

Dice makes his 2010 debut. In three rehab starts, he allowed only three earned runs in 16.2 innings, with one walk and 13 strikeouts. His pitch count will be limited to approximately 90. (... so, 3 IP?)

Scutaro, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Martinez, C
Youkilis, 1B
Drew, RF
Ortiz, DH
Beltre, 3B
McDonald, LF
Van Every, CF

The Red Sox have acquired infielder Niuman Romero from Cleveland for cash. Romero, 25, made his MLB debut last September and played in 10 games (-5 OPS+!).