Orioles 6, Red Sox 0
BALTIMORE -- Adam Jones homered twice and finished with three RBIs while starter Chris Tillman threw seven shutout innings as the Baltimore Orioles snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox Friday night at Camden Yards.
This victory knocked Boston (61-43) out of first place in the American League East, dropping the Red Sox a half game behind Tampa Bay, which beat the Yankees Friday.
This was the third multi-homer game of Jones' career, the last coming in 2012. He has now hit 22 homers this season with 74 RBIs. The Orioles (58-46) finished with four homers in the game, as Manny Machado and J.J. Hardy added solo shots.
Tillman (13-3) struggled in the first inning, walking two and loading the bases, but escaped unscathed. The right-hander settled down after that, retiring 19 of the final 21 batters he faced and allowing just two hits in his seven innings. He struck out eight and walked three.
Tommy Hunter (eighth) and Jim Johnson (ninth) pitched the final two innings. Johnson leads the majors in saves but this wasn't save situation.
Boston starter John Lackey (7-8) gave up three homers and allowed five runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. Those three homers were the most Lackey's given up in a game this season.
The Orioles took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. After Tillman escaped a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the top half, Jones hit a two-run homer off Lackey in the bottom half.
Jones hit a shot to right that just made it over the scoreboard. The homer also scored Nick Markakis, who singled before Jones came up. Lackey later had to battle through a 10-pitch at-bat before getting Matt Wieters out and needed 30 pitches to get through the inning.
The Orioles added another run in the third. Nate McLouth led off with a triple to center that glanced off Jacoby Ellsbury's glove, and Machado followed with an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
Baltimore threatened again in the fourth, but Boston right fielder Shane Victorino threw out Hardy at the plate. The Orioles shortstop was trying to score on a Brian Roberts single, but Victorino's one-hop throw to the plate beat Hardy, and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia tagged him out.
But Jones struck once more in the fifth, lining his second homer of the night to right. This one was a solo shot and put the Orioles up, 4-0.
NOTES: The Baltimore Sun reported Friday afternoon that the Orioles placed outfielder Chris Dickerson on outright waivers. If not claimed, Dickerson could then be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, unless he declines that. He is eligible to decline and that would make him a free agent...Machado snapped an 0-for-9 skid with his RBI single in the third inning...The Red Sox are one of just two teams in the major leagues (Atlanta is the other) whose record has been above .500 all season long. Boston's 1946 team was the last one to go this far into a season and remain with a winning record throughout...Dustin Pedroia needs four home runs to reach 100 for his career. The second baseman signed a eight-year contract earlier this week.
