O's, Red Sox tangle at Fenway
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - The Baltimore Orioles are set to face their fourth straight American League East opponent to begin the season on Friday night when they take on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in the opener of a four- game set.
Baltimore is off to a 5-4 start and after Friday will have played against the entire NL East. After dropping the series opener against the New York Yankees earlier this week, the Orioles rallied to win the final two games before getting the day off Thursday.
On Wednesday, Baltimore out-hit the Yankees, 15-8, to clinch the series with a 7-5 victory. The O's pulled away behind a five-run sixth inning, which was keyed by Delmon Young's pinch-hit RBI single and a two-run double from Chris Davis.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Davis also drove in a run with a single in the first inning en route to a three-RBI night. He had been hitless over his previous 10 at-bats with nine strikeouts.
"Still early, still trying to feel some things out, better at-bats (Wednesday night)," Davis said. "Saw the ball a lot better. Swung at pitches in the strike zone, that usually helps. But it'd be nice to get off to an Adam Jones start every year, but sometimes that's just not the case."
Friday's opener kicks off a seven-game road swing for the O's, who will travel to Toronto next.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Boston has grabbed the early lead in the jumbled AL East standings, albeit by just a game over Baltimore. The Red Sox were eyeing a home sweep of the Washington Nationals this week but came up short in Wednesday's series finale, 10-5.
Starter Wade Miley was unable to get out of the third inning as he was pulled after allowing seven earned runs on five hits. He also walked three batters. Despite the shaky outing from Miley, manager John Farrell kept things in perspective.
"We come away with a series win," said Farrell. "I will say we have the capability from a starting standpoint to keep a game under control, and that needs to be more consistent than this turn through the rotation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is dealing with a bruised left foot and is questionable for Friday's game.
Toeing the rubber for Baltimore will be Ubaldo Jimenez, who looked like his former dominant self against Toronto in his season debut on Saturday. The right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and one walk to go with eight strikeouts.
Jimenez went just 6-9 with a 4.81 ERA in 25 games (22 starts) for Baltimore last season but was able to earn the No. 5 starter job out of spring training. However, Jimenez does have a combined 7.45 ERA across his last two starts against Boston.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For Boston, Joe Kelly will also try to build on a solid season debut after twirling seven innings of one-run ball in Yankee Stadium on Saturday. The right-hander yielded just one hit and struck out a career-high eight batters.
The Orioles were 11-8 against Boston last season.