Red Sox roll on with rout of Orioles
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tim Wakefield pitched six strong innings and Adam Stern drove in a pair of runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles in American League play Sunday in Baltimore.
The Red Sox completed a three-game series sweep with the win and improved to 5-1 in their first six games, all on the road.
Boston returns to Fenway Park for its home opener Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
"It's a great way to go home," Boston manager Terry Franconca told reporters.
Wakefield allowed just one unearned run on five hits while striking out four and walking two after a rough first outing of the season against Texas.
Three relievers completed the seven-hitter for the Red Sox, including Keith Foulke, who tossed an impressive and scoreless eighth inning as he rebounded from an injury-plagued 2005.
Jonathan Papelbon, who had replaced Foulke as the club's closer, survived a tense ninth inning to pick up his third save in as many opportunities.
The Orioles opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI single by Miguel Tejada, but the Red Sox scored two runs in the fifth and another pair in the sixth to put the game away.
Stern drove in one of the fifth inning runs with a single with the second scoring on an error by Baltimore second baseman Chris Gomez.
Stern added another RBI single in the sixth before Mark Loretta also singled home a run to complete the scoring.
David Ortiz and J.T. Snow both added a pair of hits for Boston, which had nine hits off three Baltimore pitchers.
Rodrigo Lopez (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked four.
Ramon Hernandez had three of Baltimore's seven hits.
In Anaheim, Jorge Posada homered twice and had five RBI as the New York Yankees drilled the Los Angeles Angels 10-1.
Alex Rodriguez also homered for the Yankees, who return home from their west coast trip to start the season at 2-4.
Rodriguez and Robinson Cano both had three of New York's 15 hits. Mike Mussina (1-0) allowed one run on five hits over six innings, striking out five and walking two.
Bartolo Colon (0-1) allowed eight runs - seven earned - on seven hits in just two innings. Chone Figgins RBI single in the third accounted for the lone L.A. run.
In Seattle, Rich Harden pitched a three-hitter over seven innings as the Oakland Athletics won their third straight game over the Mariners, 6-4.
Harden allowed one run with eight strikeouts and one walk and four relievers finished up, including Huston Street, who got the last out for his second save.
Eric Chavez hit a three-run homer and Mark Ellis had three hits and two RBI for Oakland. Joel Pineiro took the loss, allowing six runs - five earned - on 10 hits over seven innings.
