Orioles Chris Davis Overcomes Heckler, Drives in Winning Run Versus Red Sox

I could not help but chuckle at the obnoxious Boston Red Sox fan shouting obscenities at Orioles first baseman Chris Davis Friday night at Fenway Park.

As Davis stepped to the plate in the top of the 13th inning, with the game tied at four, all I could hear was, “Go home Davis! Go home, you’re horrible!”

Two pitches later, Davis slipped a sharp ground ball past Boston’s first and second basemen to give the Orioles the lead.

This increasingly confident club never looked back, and after scoring another run in the top of the 13th, the Orioles defeated the Red Sox, 6-4.

In a positive development, Mark Reynolds, who had struggled mightily to this point in the season, went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI. Reynolds also had a double and a walk. Matt Wieters also had a pair of hits for the Orioles.

Wei-Yin Chen did not have his sharpest outing for the Birds, giving up three earned runs and five hits in five innings of work. But once again, the Orioles bullpen cashed in winning chips. Using five hurlers, the Orioles bullpen gave up zero runs in the next eight innings of play. Jim Johnson earned his eighth save for the Orioles.

On Boston’s side, Jon Lester had a bumpy starting go of it as well. He gave up three runs in six innings. The Red Sox bullpen matched the Orioles bullpen inning for inning. Or at least until the 13th inning when left-hander Franklin Morales gave up the winning runs to the Orioles.

Offensively for the Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-6. Dustin Pedroia added two hits with an RBI. David Ortiz, who had been scalding hot at the plate prior to this game, went 0-for-5 with an RBI.

With the victory the Orioles move to 17-9, which is good for second place in the American League East.

The Red Sox fall to 11-14, seven games behind the first place Tampa Bay Rays.

The Orioles and Red Sox play again Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm ET at Fenway Park.

Basebook me!