masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgRed Sox left-hander Andrew Miller has littered the bases in this game, but the Orioles can’t clean up.

Miller didn’t allow a hit until catcher Craig Tatum bounced a single up the middle with one out in the fifth. Tatum came within a foot or so of dropping a double down the left field line earlier in the at-bat.

Miller walked a batter in the first. He walked the bases loaded in the second. He walked a batter in the third. He hasn’t exactly been sharp – unless you consider a stick of butter…Red Sox left-hander Andrew Miller has littered the bases in this game, but the Orioles can’t clean up.

Miller didn’t allow a hit until catcher Craig Tatum bounced a single up the middle with one out in the fifth. Tatum came within a foot or so of dropping a double down the left field line earlier in the at-bat.

Miller walked a batter in the first. He walked the bases loaded in the second. He walked a batter in the third. He hasn’t exactly been sharp – unless you consider a stick of butter sharp, or my wit – but I guess you could call him effectively wild.

You also can call the Orioles impatient. I go back to the second inning, when Tatum swung at the first pitch after Miller issued three straight walks and later grounded into a double play.

Boston still leads, 2-0, as we head to the top of the sixth.

Jake Arrieta hasn’t walked a batter, but he’s allowed seven hits.

Arrieta has thrown 86 pitches, 63 for strikes. Miller has thrown 81 pitches, 48 for strikes.

Update: Former Oriole Matt Albers replaced Miller with two on and two outs in the sixth. Miller allowed two hits, walked six and struck out three. He threw 103 pitches, 60 for strikes. And the Orioles still don’t have a run.

Albers induced a ground ball from Nolan Reimold to end the inning.

You’ll recall that Albers infuriated the Orioles at Fenway Park with his enthusiastic fist pumps after strikeouts and a few choice words aimed at the visiting dugout.

Jason Berken is warming in the Orioles’ bullpen in the top of the seventh.

Update II: Jacoby Ellsbury homered off Arrieta with two outs in the seventh to increase Boston’s lead to 3-0. It’s the second career multi-homer game for Ellsbury. He also did it April 22, 2008 against the Angels.