G88: Red Sox 10, Orioles 3

Orioles - 000 030 000 -  3  8  1
Red Sox - 800 001 01x - 10 11  0

The Orioles finally got fed up with the Red Sox teeing off on their entire pitching staff for the last two nights. After Kevin Gregg gave up a run-scoring triple to Josh Reddick that pushed Boston's run total to 10, he threw three inside pitches to David Ortiz. Two of them were very inside; after the first one, Flo just glared, but after ball 3, he walked out towards the mound, pointing his finger at Gregg and yelling.

Both benches and pens emptied and order was quickly restored, with warnings being issued. Ortiz swung at the 3-0 pitch and popped out to short right-center. As he went down the line, Gregg yelled at him (to run faster?) and gestured with his glove. As home plate umpire Mike Estabrook was jogging out and immediately ejecting Gregg, Ortiz turned and sprinted to the mound and the two big men (Gregg is listed at 6-6, 230) took several swings at each other.

Ortiz and Gregg were ejected, of course, along with Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Orioles reliever Jim Johnson, both of whom were out in the bullpens when the action began.

Also, Beckett (5-7-3-2-3, 68) was pulled after five innings for precautionary reasons. The Red Sox said he has a mildly hyperextended left knee. During his fifth and last inning, Beckett had on-going trouble with the landing area on the mound, and ended up allowing three hits, two walks (to Baltimore's #8 and #9 hitters), and three runs.

The Orioles have lost five straight games and have allowed 10+ runs in four of the five losses.

Boston 1st:

Ellsbury   L8 (towards triangle)
Pedroia    Single to RF
Gonzalez   Walk
Youkilis   Single to LF (1-0)
Ortiz      Home Run to RF (4-0)
Varitek    Walk
Scutaro    Single to CF
McDonald   Double to LF (6-0)
Navarro    Strikeout
Ellsbury   Single to LF (7-0)
Britton out, Bergensen in
Pedroia    SS Error
Gonzalez   Single to LF (8-0)
Youkilis   5-3

Zack Britton / Josh Beckett

Alex Speier, WEEI:

In 2011, [Jacoby Ellsbury] has seen his diverse skill set come together in extraordinary fashion, in a year when he has assumed his place as one of the best players in the game. ...

He understands his swing, understands the pitches he can damage, and he is crushing the ball with a consistency that he has never previously displayed. ... In his last six games, he is now 13-for-27 (.481), getting on base and stealing bags in the fashion of an ideal leadoff hitter yet hammering the ball with the authority of a middle-of-the-order masher.

AL East: Rays/Yankees at 7 PM.