Orioles Over Red Sox

BOSTON: 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

BALTIMORE: 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1

As I watch this final series game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles in my favorite New England sports bar, a little reflection on the past week in baseball - the perfect game that became an imperfection (instant replay comes closer to being a part of the game), a complete game shutout by Clay Buchholz (always glad when Terry lets a pitcher finish what he starts), and Boston moves up in the standings to third place (unfortunately Toronto is also in third). The usual regular, Rich, is here today and this is his last Sunday here for a couple of weeks as he heads out on his cross country baseball trip on Friday. Enjoy the road Rich!

The other Boston team playing today is the Celtics in the second game of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers and six people have arrived already to stake out their places to watch that game which will start at 5:00 p.m.! The bar will be a place of intensity this afternoon. And the Red Sox are off to another good start as they get a homerun to begin their sweep of the Orioles. Well the lead was short-lived as the Orioles tied it up. A duel between pitchers Lackey and Matusz has ensued. Bases-loaded in the sixth for the Red Sox with two outs - Bill Hall at bat - no runs. Now it's obviously raining in Camden Yards. Bases-loaded again in the seventh for the Red Sox - Ortiz hit by a pitch - Youkilis at bat - no runs. One of the waitresses, Lauren, along with her five-year old son, has arrived and is having lunch before the basketball crowd arrives. Lackey is done for the day and Delcarmen relieves him in the eighth. Orioles get a run - the duel has ended in Oriole Park.

Boston ties it up in the ninth! Papelbon pitches in a non-save situation - he gives up a walk with two outs. The game is in extra innings! And more people have arrived at the bar for the Celtics game - could be a more of a crossover afternoon than I anticipated. Youkilis hit by a pitch to start the tenth. No runs scored by Boston and in the bottom of the tenth, no runs scored by Baltimore. Onto the eleventh. One on second. No runs scored. Bottom of the eleventh - leadoff walk. man moved over to second, one out. The bar is filling up with Celtics fans - the bonus of the Red Sox extra innings has ended in a loss. Hope the Celtics have a better outcome.

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BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: John Lackey, Losing Pitcher: Hideki Okajima (2)

BALTIMORE: Starting Pitcher: Brian Matusz, Winning Pitcher: David Hernandez

BOSTON: Homerun: Victor Martinez (8)

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RED SOX: Wins: 33, Losses: 25, AL East Standings: Tampa Bay, New York, Boston, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Monday 7 June 2010, 4:05 p.m.PT/7:05p.m ET, Cleveland Indians, Progressive Field, Daisuke Matsuzaka

Baltimore Orioles logo from the website mlb.com