Pitching Woes Continue for Boston

Game 1
Baltimore (Hammel) vs Boston (Wakefield)
Fenway Park, Boston

The Red Sox opened their home season against the Baltimore Orioles.  The loud Boston fans were quieted immediatley as the O's scored twice in the first on 2 hits, a SB and a throwing error.  The fans came back to life as the Sox's answered Baltimore's 2 runs with 2 of their own in the bottom of the inning as Jason Varitek doubled home the 2 runners.  Both teams again exchanged runs in the second and the score was 3-3 going into the bottom of the 4th.  After Bellhorn, Garciaparra got 1 out singles Damon then walked bringing up Manny Ramirez.  Hammel's got 2 quick strikes but Ramirez lined his third pitch off the left center field wall for a bases clearing double.  After Ortiz singled Ramirez home the Sox had a 7-3 lead and then added 1 more in the 5th to make it 8-3.  It appears, though, that no lead is safe with this pitching staff.  Wakefield gives up 2 solo HR to Danny Valencia and Matt Wieters in the 7th to cut the Boston lead to 3.  Curtis Leskanic comes on in the 8th to try and hold the lead and gives up 2 runs.  After the Sox go down in the bottom of the 8th Keith Foulke comes on in the 9th to close out the game.    Boston  8    Baltimore 7

Game 2
Baltimore (Tillman) vs Boston (Arroyo)
Fenway Park, Boston

In game 2, Boston takes a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a Manny Ramirez HR that cleared the Green Monster in left.  Baltimore took the lead in the top of the 5th as Nate McLouth doubled home 2 runs.  The 2-1 O's lead stood until the bottom of the 9th.  Jim Johnson came on to try and get the save but David Ortiz leads off with a double; moves to 3rd on a Mueller single and scores on a double play to knot the game at 3.  Mike Timlin comes on in the 10th and the O's Steve Pearce hits a PH homerun to left to give Baltimore the 3-2 lead.  Darren O'Day comes on in the bottom of the inning to save the game.    Baltimore 3   Boston 2

Game 3
Baltimore (M. Gonzalez) vs Boston (Martinez)
Fenway Park, Boston

In the series deciding game it was all Baltimore.  Pedro Martinez, who had been outstanding in a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay, was downright awful in his second start.  After setting the O's down in order in the first Martinez gave up 2 runs in each of the next 3 innings to trail 6-0 after 4.  Baltimore added another run off of Martinez in the 6th and he left the game trailing 7-0.  The Sox bullpen continued its terrible performance.  Leskanic came on in the 7th only to give up 4 runs on 6 hits in the inning.  Manny Machado went had 3 hits and 3 RBI to lead the O's.  Miguel Gonzalez pitched very well allowing 4 hits and one run and 8 strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
Baltimore 11  Boston 1