Jeremy Guthrie gave up two runs in seven innings against the Red Sox today. The Orioles bullpen gave up four more. Despite two big hits from Aubrey Huff, the O’s couldn’t overcome another bullpen collapse.

Fortune Telling

In the first, Ramon Hernandez scooped up a Kevin Youkilis dribbler, firing it to first base to end the inning. A strong defensive play by Ramon??!! That’s a good omen.

Guthrie gave up solo homers to Jason Bay and Jason Veritek in the second inning. That’s a bad omen. 0-2 Sox after two innings.

Preseason Predictions

In the fourth, Aubrey Huff knocked his 27^th homerun of the year over the centerfield wall. As I’ve been saying since before the season started, Huff and Mora are a nasty duo in the middle of the lineup.

Ok. I didn’t really say that before the season. No one did.

Jason Bay hit a single in the sixth, advancing to second on a stolen base. The Sox were threatening, but Jeremy Guthrie struck out Sean Casey looking with a 3-2 pitch that hung around the bottom part of Casey’s knee caps.

Seven Strong

Coco Crisp worked a one out walk in the seventh, but he was thrown out trying to steal when Ramon Hernandez fired to Roberts at second. That’s two nice plays for Ramon today. Guthrie got through the seventh inning. Not too many birds pitchers can say that.

Kevin Millar hit a double to left field in the seventh inning. Luke Scott and Jay Payton couldn’t bring him home. The Sox preserved a 1-2 lead after seven innings of play.

Rocky Cherry came on to pitch the eighth inning. David Ortiz got on base in the first when Millar juggled a ground ball.

Gentlemen’s Quarrel

Kevin Youkilis struck out. He didn’t like the size of the umpire’s strike zone, and he let him know it. Using my superior lip-reading skills, it appeared that Youkilis said, “In all do respect, good sir, I do believe two of those strikes were indeed outside of the zone.”

Or something along those lines.

Bay’s Bombs a Second

In the next at bat, Jason Bay homered for the second time in the evening.

Coco Crisp then worked a three ball walk. Seriously. The umps blew the call and didn’t bother to reverse it, even though they had ample time to do so during a pitching change. What the...?

Alberto Castillo came on to finish what Cherry couldn’t; he induced a groundout to avert a bases-loaded disaster, but the damage was done. 1-4 Sox.

A Civilized Dispute

Brian Roberts was called out in the bottom of the eighth. MASN’S pitch tracker showed the ball was pretty far outside. Roberts had a few choice words for the ump: “I say, old boy, that was a rather questionable call, was it not?”

His kindly protest was for naught.

Papelbum

With two down, Markakis and Mora worked walks. Aubrey Huff came to the plate as the potential tying run. Boston manager Terry Francona brought in closer Jonathan Papelbon to face Huff.

Huff hit a two RBI double. Who’s celebrating excessively now, Jonathan Papelbon!!!??? 3-4 Boston after eighth.

Piling On

The Sox tacked two more on in the ninth by virtue of a David Ortiz double that scored Dustin Pedroia. A few plays later, Alex Cintron tried to throw Ortiz out at home, but his throw was off the mark.

You heard that right. Cintron can’t throw out David Ortiz. Send. Him. Down.

The O’s were down by three after eight and a half. They couldn’t get anything going in the bottom half of the ninth.

I still hate you, Jonathan Papelbon.

Score: 3-6 Boston

Record: 60-64, 15.5GB

Next Game: vs. Boston. 7:05pm Tues. Cabrera (8-7, 4.78 ERA) vs. Matsuzaka (14-2, 2.74 ERA)

For more info: Check out the ESPN boxscore here.

Topics: Jeremy Guthrie , Alex Cintron , Jonathan Papelbon