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Closing Time: Red Sox lose to Orioles; fall into tie with Rays with two games left 09.26.11 at 10:25 pm ET
By WEEI

Josh Beckett had a rough outing in the Red Sox' latest loss. (AP)

BALTIMORE — It has gotten very, very uncomfortable for the Red Sox.

With a 6-3 loss to the Orioles Monday night at Camden Yards, along with Tampa Bay’s 5-2 win over the Yankees, the Sox now find themselves tied with the Rays in the wild card race with two games to play in the regular season.

The difference-maker this time was Robert Andino’s inside-the-park, three-run homer with two out sin the sixth inning, capping a four-run frame that gave the Orioles the lead for good. The blast came off Red Sox’ starter Josh Beckett, who finished his six innings having surrendered six runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking four.

It gave the Sox their 19th loss this month, giving the the worst winning percentage of any team in franchise history for September, while claiming the second-most losses, only behind the 1952 club’s 20 defeats.

Here is what went wrong (and right) in the Red Sox’ 71st loss of the season:

WHAT WENT WRONG

- Beckett was close to escaping the pivotal sixth inning, but couldn’t close the deal. With two outs and one on, the righty walked Mark Reynolds before getting to a 1-and-2 count on Chris Davis. But the Orioles’ first baseman managed to rake a low and inside changeup into the right field corner, scoring Vladimir Guerrero with the go-ahead run. After getting behind 0-and-1, Andino, the Orioles’ batter — who had won the game for Baltimore in Boston a week before — launched a fastball to the center field wall which fell out of Red Sox’ center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury’s glove as he crashed into the wall, leading to the pivotal homer.

- Ellsbury made a solid bid at catching Andino’s blast, seemingly hauling in the fly ball just before hitting the wall in center. But the ball not only popped out, but trickled away just enough to force the outfielder to have to flip it to nearby right fielder J.D. Drew. Drew’s throw was relayed in by second baseman Dustin Pedroia, whose throw short-hopped catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, allowing for the first-ever inside-the-park homer in Camden Yards history. It was the first inside-the-parker hit against the Red Sox since July 23, 2006 by Adrian Beltre.

- For the third straight game, Beckett fell victim to the home run, this time giving up a Wieters’ solo homer in the second, just over the left field wall, to tie the game at 1-1. The Sox’ starter allowed at least one homer in each of his four outings against Baltimore this season.

- The last legitimate rally by the Red Sox fell short when, with the bases loaded and one out, Saltalamacchia struck out and Marco Scutaro ended the inning with a ground out to shortstop.

- Saltalamacchia was forced from the game in the eighth inning when Adam Jones’ foul ball ricocheted off the catcher’s left shoulder. The backstop was led off the field by Sox’ trainer Mike Reinold.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

- For the second straight game, Jed Lowrie notched an extra-base hit, this time hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning which gave the Sox’ a 2-1 lead. The blast, which cleared the right field fence, was the third baseman’s second homer of the season hitting left-handed.

- Ellsbury stayed red-hot, this time making his presence felt by plating the game’s first run on a double and throwing error by Baltimore left fielder Matt Angle. Angle for some unknown reason launched his throw back in toward the Orioles dugout, leaving catcher Matt Wieters helpless as Scutaro came all the way around from first to score.

- Beckett got out of a huge jam in the fifth inning after loading the bases with one out. With the Orioles having just tied the game via an RBI single from Chris Davis, Beckett got J.J. Hardy to pop out to third base and Nick Markakis to strikeout on a nasty curveball.

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  • Mike

    Red Sox are a waste to human Life

  • Mike

    Crawford and gonzalez along with Beckett I hope you three guys get seriously hurt so we do not have to watch you pathetic players

  • Bubba

    Hey Bo – 0 for 5 from your BFF Crawford hitting 2nd. Now that’s creating “havoc”!

  • JJ

    Again they outhit the opponent and score less runs. Where is the timely hitting on this team? Ellsbury is the only on that can hit with runners in scoring position. Crawford and Gonzalez obviously can’t take the pressure of playing under these conditions. Highest paid players and again can’t produce in the 9th when they had a huge opportunity and when the team needs them the most. Hey Crawford, screw you. Ellsbury should be making $60million a year if you’re getting $20million. Douchebag.

    And Beckett, where do we start. I’m starting a facebook page for no one to attend opening day next year.

  • Mike

    Red Sox are going to be awful for a long time PLAYERS are all overpaid and they all suck

  • Craig in CT

    That looked like the backbreaker to me. I won’t be surprised if they don’t win another game this year. In the end, Beckett and Lester failed. 1-5 this month. No health issues for either. The race is all over, despite everything else, if they actually pitch the way they’re capable of. But there’s a laundry list of “ifs” at this point. The team just didn’t perform up to ability when it mattered. Inexcusable.

  • Mike

    The Team does not even care what the fans say because they are laughing all the way to the bank
    Three players on the Red Sox equal Baltimore who teams payroll
    what a pathetic Red Sox oraganization

  • Mike

    Baltimore players were laughing at Boston

  • Gray

    this team is pathetic with clutch unless your last name is Ellsbury.. he almost made a more or less impossible catch to save the tie.. he scores the only run in the 8th/9th when the sox leave SIX MORE men on base. I mean Agon just pops out and Jed wiffs .. put crawford back in the 7th he cant do it this year.

    And Beckett isn’t the good beckett without tek (just check the stats hes horrible without tek behind the plate) So uh.. unless I hear the sox are out to some nice lead I think im going to just skip watching tomorrows game. Ive been watching since the start but this is even more pathetic then the 0-6 opener. But who knows I said I was done watching when Beckett served up that meatball to make it 6-2 and I wound up watching the 8th and 9th anyway – pathetic

  • geets

    Two runs against future Hall of Famer Tommy Hunter. I’d disappointed if they had lost to anyone else.

  • Steve

    Red Sox are the scum of MLB
    Maybe the plane on the way home will land in the ocean so we do not have to watch this awful team next year

  • http://Enteryourwebsite... adam

    thanx for making me blow another MLB extra innings package Theo.

  • Bill

    They are on thier way to killing an all new generation…at least I got to see them win 2 w/s titles…it will be another 86 before the next one…please someone just put them out of their misery…Oh that will be Tampa Bay..Thank you…

  • Anguillaman

    Well where was the Texas tough guy in his last 3 starts…losing 2 of them to the O”S….hmmmmm, not exactly the ace of the staff…not a stopper. Just a very average pitcher.

  • geets

    Complete? Not till Wednesday.

  • UltimateCranston

    Overreact much? You hope their plane lands in the ocean? They are the scum of the Earth?

    Man, Red Sox fans deserve a team that chokes if this is how you support it.

    The performance of Red Sox fans and most media during this run has been as bad as the team’s. Insufferable, entitled, arrogant — Red Sox Nation.

  • Chris Ou812

    The Red Sox are simply LACKEY-ESQUE.

  • Pete

    Red Sox are a waste to MLB
    Get out of Boston Red sox You guys belong in the Dumpster
    Gonzalez and Crawford are two pieces of TURD

  • geets

    This Collapse by the Boston Red Sox is personnaly brought to you, a new generation of fans, by the front office, coaches and players, so that you may understand the suffering of generations before you. Enjoy and thank you for your continued support.

  • Gayle

    Lackey blow———–s Beckett

    Gonzalez sucks Crawfords dic————————–

    A bunch of ZERO”S

  • pissedoffbosoxfan

    did n e 1 else notice crawford sitting by himself on the bench when the rest of the team was standing along the dugout rail in the 9th with the tying run up, he has no desire to win and doesnt fit with this team or this city

  • Obi-Wan Jacoby

    Can WEEI please stop including “What Went Right” sections to their articles? Nothing’s going right where the Sox keep losing!

  • http://Enteryourwebsite... jfresh

    Wow, waste of time…always rooting for these guys since early 80′s, UPS and downs…sick of pink hats and sweet Caroline bs…Fenway lost its mojo

  • Babe Ruth Is Dead

    get a grip…everyone…

    they suck this year…they have choked this year…big time players have NOT stepped us this year…

    this year is this year…

    anyone talking about 86 years of frustration is a frickin RETARD…and for “geets”…your team is built for the regular season not the post season…so expect all the hate back when your pitching collapses in the playoffs jackass…

    next year is next year…

    the Sox need AT LEAST one more reliable starter and some bullpen help…and they probably need to move youkilis as a part time DH since he can’t stay healthy all season…which means that the let Papi walk…

    next year they have Drew/Papelbon/Cameron/Scutaro/Ortiz/Wakefield all coming off the books…that is a ton of money to get some pitching and a decent RH outfielder…

    maybe this collapse will be for the best long-term…maybe they will break with some of their older players…and coach…if they do they will be very dangerous next year…so can all the 86 year hysteria…this year does bring back bad memories…but does not make a trend

  • Patrick

    Once again the Sox offense is inconsistent, no clutch hitting, too many baserunners left on, and that’s why they lost yet AGAIN! I don’t see a leader on this team. And therefore I think there needs to be a change at the top. I think Francona needs to be shown the door.

  • Bosox R Losers

    Face it beaners, the bosox are losers! Not since the 2007 Mets or the 1995 Angels has a team looked so bad blowing such a HUGE lead at the end of the regular season. Makes one hunger for the replays of Bucky Dent in 1978 or Billy Buckner playing gotcha ball against the Mets in 1986. The Bambino still haunts this team and except for 2004 and 2007 which were flukes, you are showing America why you are history is repleat with 100 years of frustration second only to the Cubbies!

  • John J

    How long before you drop the “what went right” part of the column?

  • Joe

    red sox are a waste to pro sports
    millionares making money for doing NOTHING
    Gonzalez Crawford Beckett are worth nothing in life

  • Joe

    Red Sox fans are stupid to pay and watch this team and to buy and wear anything that says the red sox
    red sox are pathetic organization in every phase
    all john henry wants to do is sell out fenway and thats all he cares about
    start a facebook page thats say boycott the team opening day next year
    the players do not even care
    all they care about is there pocketts and are laughing at the Boston fans all the way to the bank

  • Mike

    Damn guys get over its just a game. I’d guess some of you really do hope their plane lands in ocean. Lets say you were one of these guys and Theo was offering you these multi-million contracts, would say “oh, I don’t know if I’m really that good, why don’t you cut 10 million off that so the fans don’t put too much pressure on me” … Theo deserves a lot of blame, but the players are banged up and in a funk.

  • Mike

    @Joe

    “all john henry wants to do is sell out fenway and thats all he cares about”

    That’s like saying “All McDonalds wants to do is sell hamburgers, that’s all they care about.” Yea, that’s the idea, what are you talking about?

  • ted

    way too many busts on this team……..and those busts will bring a team down every time. much more reason and logic and good common sense needs to be used, not just $$. A fool and his money ?

  • Elaine Apthorp

    Was worried about how much Beckett would miss his sync with Varitek. They had a tough time getting on the same page on pitch selection, slowing down and breaking up the rhythm of delivery on several occasions, but JB had pretty good stuff overall, though he looked tired and had several loose changeups and up-and-out sailing fastballs as a result.

    The sight of Ellsbury catching that monster drive and then getting stunned as he slammed that wall and the ball dribbling out to the turf may haunt us for a long winter. So will alllll those GIDPs on Gonzo’s sheet. But anybody who says these guys aren’t highly skilled ballplayers giving it everything they have in the tank is not much of a fan.

    So I’m wearing my Crawford 13 T-shirt today in general defiance of apparent fate. Hang in there, Sox. Let’s win out.

  • Mama

    I for one am a die-hard sox fan. I truly understand the meaning of die-hard. Because this team is literally killing me. Last year it was Papelbon in the ALDS. Now its the whole team. What makes it really bad is that I will be watching again when hope springs eternal next season and all is new. Until September again when just in time for another colossal defeat. I am not going to watch baseball if the sox do go home on Wednesday. I just can’t bring myself to watch what should have been the sox’s championship year.

  • Whitey

    Where have all the PINK HATS gone…oh , where oh where are they now ? Only the older, knowledgeable Sox fans remain on the boards. The chorus is now as one, the remaining dissapointed fans, who saw this day coming are left.

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    The Red Sox are trash what a waste of a baseball team. They are chokers thats what they’re good at CHOKING way to go LOSTON RED SOX!!!!!

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