DH Davis is winning pitcher in Orioles' 17-inning victory

BOSTON - That wasn't first baseman/DH Chris Davis who had ice packs on his right shoulder and elbow after Sunday's game.

It was winning pitcher Chris Davis who had the ice on.

Davis, who had a miserable day at the plate that almost got him into the record books for strikeouts, outpitched Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald to pick up the first win by an American League position player in 44 years. It enabled the Orioles to complete their first three-game sweep of the Red Sox in Fenway Park in 18 years with a 9-6, 17-inning triumph.

The victory, powered by Adam Jones' three-run homer off McDonald, also pushed the Orioles, who haven't had a winning season since 1997, into first place in the AL East, at 19-9. They are 10 games over .500 for the first time since 2005.

Davis struck out his first five times up and then, when another K would have tied the big league record for an extra-inning game, he grounded into a double play and later grounded out. That occurred before he came in to pitch in the bottom of the 16th (he also grounded out to end the 17th to go 0-for-8).

Davis his 91 mph on the radar gun in the first inning he pitched, but eventually tailed off the 85 mph.

"I was just out there trying to throw strikes and not blow the game," said Davis, a pitcher/first baseman in junior college. "A game like that where everybody's battling, trying to get a win, both teams are throwing everything they got at each other, you don't want to be the guy to blow it."

He almost was.

In the 16th, third baseman Wilson Betemit booted Marlon Byrd's grounder with two out, and Mike Aviles ripped a double to left-center. Jones got the relay to shortstop J.J. Hardy, whose short-hop throw was handled by catcher Matt Wieters to get Byrd in plenty of time.

McDonald then came on in the top of the 17th for Boston and walked Betemit, who was out trying to steal second. Hardy, who homered his first two times up, then doubled, his career-high fifth hit, and Nick Markakis walked. Jones then hit his eighth homer of the young season.

Davis gave up a single to Ryan Sweeney, a liner off the pitcher's glove, and walked Dustin Pedroia. But he struck out Adrian Gonzalez (0-for-8 in the game) on what he said it was a split-finger fastball). McDonald then grounded into a double play to end the game, and that led to a post-game shaving cream pie and beer-dousing celebration for the new ace of the staff.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Davis became the first player since Rube Waddell, on July 4, 1905, to go 0-for-8 in a game and get the win (it was against the Red Sox and Cy Young was the losing pitcher, both pitching 20 innings).

The two position players were the 17th and 18th pitchers in a game that lasted 6:07, the most pitchers ever used in a game at Fenway.

McDonald, who entered the game as a pinch runner in eighth inning, also pitched in a game last year, but that wasn't a tie game.

(Manager Bobby Valentine) asked me to pitch," McDonald said. "We didn't have anyone left and I'm more than willing to try. Our bullpen did a hell of a job and I wanted to pick them up. I just wasn't able to do it."

Talking about facing Davis, McDonald said, "He actually had good stuff. He had life on the ball, more than I expected. I had the chance to tie it up ... that's what disappointed me the most today."

Said Davis: "In all seriousness, to get a win like that here, to end a road trip like this, it's huge. Neither team wanted to lose today, especially when it goes into extra inning and you gotta pull everybody ... I mean they were pulling people out of the stands to finish that game ... it's just a huge win for us.

"It says a lot about our team."

The last-place Red Sox, who fell to 11-16, came back twice in the game.

After another bad start by Clay Buchholz left Boston in a 5-0 hole, rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks, in his third major league game, tied it 5-5 with a fifth-inning grand slam and Boston was also able to come back again in the eighth.

Baltimore blew the 5-0 lead that was built on two solo homers by Hardy and a three-run shot by Robert Andino, but starter Tommy Hunter was gone in the fifth.

The Red Sox turned six double plays in the longest game at Fenway Park since June 15, 2001.

Buchholz, who heard boos as he left in the fourth, is 3-1 with a 9.09 ERA and at least five earned runs allowed in all six starts.

NOTES: Hardy had his eighth multi-homer game. ... Middlebrooks is the first Boston player since Daniel Nava (June 12, 2010) to hit a grand slam for his first major league homer. ... Rocky Colavito of the Yankees was the last American League position player to win a game, in 1986. ... Buchholz is the second Red Sox pitcher ever to record six straight games allowing at least five earned runs. Red Ruffing had eight straight in 1925. ... Righty Aaron Cook, who received 11 stitches to close a spike wound beneath his left knee Saturday, in his Red Sox debut, was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Andrew Miller was recalled from a rehab assignment (hamstring) and became the 36th player (18th pitcher) already used by the Red Sox this season when he relieved Buchholz in the fourth inning. He retired all four batters he faced Sunday, striking out the last three. ... Daisuke Matsuzaka, coming back from Tommy John surgery, makes his third minor league rehab start Monday night at Pawtucket. ... Sunday marked the 97th anniversary of Babe Ruth's first major league homer, hit for the Red Sox.