G94: Red Sox 15, Orioles 10

Red Sox - 003 210 180 - 15 16  0
Orioles - 200 050 030 - 10 12  1

The game was tied at 7-7 when Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the top of the eighth inning. He grounded out to shortstop for the first out. He also made the inning's second out. Between those two at-bats, eight straight Red Sox reached base, and they all eventually scored.

Darnell McDonald walked, Marco Scutaro singled, Jacoby Ellsbury walked, Dustin Pedroia doubled in two runs (9-7), Adrian Gonzalez was walked intentionally, Kevin Youkilis singled in two runs (11-7), Josh Reddick walked, Carl Crawford singled in a run (12-7). After Salty struck out, McDonald doubled in three more runs (15-7). Sadly, Salty did not make the third out. After Microwave's double, Scutaro flied out to right.

It was a well-balanced attack against six Baltimore pitchers.

[Back on July 6, Jere announced that the 2011 Red Sox would henceforth be known as The Rock Brigade (named for the first track on Def Leppard's 1980 debut album). I owned this album, bought during the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. If you don't recognize the name of the song but think you've heard it before, you probably have. After hearing Rock Brigade for the first time in nearly 30 years, I'm impressed -- it's a virtual template for tons of earwood nerf metal from the 80s. Anyway, I'm totally on board with the Rock Brigade.]

After being hit by a two-out rally in the first, Wakefield (4.2-9-7-2-3, 93) settled down, but crumbled in the fifth. He allowed five hits (including two home runs) and five runs, facing nine batters in the inning and allowing the Birds to take a one-run lead before he finally got the hook from Terry Francona.

It seemed like an obvious case of Tito sticking with a cooked starter, hoping -- as the hits and runs continued to rain down -- that his pitcher could get another out, have five innings in the books, and thus qualify for a win. That backfired tonight, as Wakefield could not get that elusive third out, surrendering a solo home run, two singles, a walk, and a two-run double before Dan Wheeler was summoned from the bullpen.

Tim Wakefield / Brad Bergesen

Carl Crawford returns to the lineup tonight; Drew Sutton was optioned to Pawtucket. ... Both David Ortiz and Kevin Gregg had their four-game suspensions reduced to three games and will miss this series.

Jon Lester has been penciled in as the starter next Tuesday, July 26, at home against the Royals. ... Adrian Gonzalez was 1-for-15 in the Rays series.

Tuesday: Kyle Weiland / Jeremy Guthrie
Wednesday: Andrew Miller / Jake Arrieta

AL East: Yankees/Rays at 7 PM.