Given yet another chance tonight to play the spoiler's role, the Orioles took it and ran with it, beating the slumping Boston Red Sox 6-3 in front of 21,786 at Camden Yards. The game featured the Orioles again getting to Josh Beckett, Vlad Guerrero setting a career hits record and Robert Andino coming up with the first-ever, Orioles' inside-the-park homer at Oriole Park. The Red Sox fall to 6-19 in September. They began the night with a one-game lead in the wild card race, but, with Tampa...

That was an eventful bottom of the sixth inning. It started with Vladimir Guerrero setting the hits record for Dominican-born players and included Robert Andino's three-run inside-the-park home run that expanded the Orioles' lead to 6-2 against Boston's Josh Beckett. With his father watching in the stands, Andino sent a towering fly ball to center field with runners on second and third, two outs and the Orioles leading, 3-2, on Chris Davis' second RBI of the night. Jacoby Ellsbury almost...

Josh Beckett entered this start tonight second in the majors in opponent batting average at .207 and third in the American League in ERA at 2.70, but he trails the Orioles 6-2 after six innings after that stirring three-run, inside-the-park homer from Robert Andino. That was the first-ever Orioles inside-the-park homer here at Camden Yards. Through the sixth tonight, Beckett has allowed 12 runs in 13 1/3 innings to the Orioles over his last two starts. This year his ERA is now 7.03 against...

Guerrero achievement to be recognized in a pregame ceremony with Felipe Alou on Wednesday In the sixth inning of tonight's game against the Boston Red Sox, Vladimir Guerrero singled off Josh Beckett for his 2,587th career hit, moving him past Julio Franco and into first place as the all-time leader in hits by a Dominican-born player. Guerrero's 2,587 hits have come over 16 seasons in the major leagues with the Montreal Expos (1996-2003), Los Angeles Angels (2004-09), Texas Rangers (2010) and...

Left-hander Troy Patton has replaced Tommy Hunter in the top of the sixth inning with the score tied, 2-2. Hunter allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits in five innings, with three walks, two strikeouts and a home run. He threw 90 pitches, 54 for strikes. Hunter tweaked his groin during his last start, and he might have aggravated the injury tonight while doing the splits at first base on an attempted 3-6-1 double play in the second inning. He stretched for another throw at home plate...

If anyone with the Orioles needs a fresh start, it's left-hander Brian Matusz. Matusz left spring training as the No. 2 starter. He ended the season with one victory. I don't know anyone who saw it coming. I predicted that Matusz would become the staff ace after winning his last six decisions in 2010 and posting a 1.57 ERA over his final eight starts. Maybe I was just a year or two off. Matusz was 1-9 with a 10.69 ERA in 12 starts this season. He went on the disabled list in early April...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter wasn't in the dugout for the first inning after sustaining a "minor ankle injury," according to a team official. Showalter is receiving treatment for the injury, which apparently occurred earlier today, and will return to the bench shortly. Eyewitnesses said Showalter had to be carried down the runway leading from the dugout after exchanging lineup cards at home plate. This rival really has heated up. Even the manager is hurt. Showalter missed Tommy Hunter...

When the 2011 season began, right-hander Tim Bascom found himself in an unfamiliar spot. The bullpen. After pitching to a record of 3-4 and ERA of 3.43 in 11 Double-A starts last year, Bascom was on Bowie's opening day roster, but not in the season-opening rotation. "Once they told me that, it got me a little angry," Bascom said here today at Camden Yards. "It kind of made me work a little harder, to do whatever they needed. I felt I got better in the bullpen, so I can do anything they...

Just a few minutes ago, on the field at Camden Yards, Jonathan Schoop talked about being named the winner of the Brooks Robinson Award as the Orioles minor league Player of the Year. "I'm real happy. There are a lot of good players (in the organization)," Schoop said. "This means a lot to me. Just keeps me focused for next year. It's good." Schoop felt he made plenty of improvements in his game this year. He hit .290 with 24 doubles, five triples, 13 homers and a .781 OPS in 51 games...

Red Sox manager Terry Francona told the Boston media that everyone in his bullpen should be available except Franklin Morales. I guess closer Jonathan Papelbon has something left in the tank after working 2 1/3 innings last night in Game 2. Orioles second baseman Ryan Adams remains scheduled to undergo surgery on Oct. 4 for a sports hernia. Nolan Reimold has five homers and 15 RBIs in 20 games this month. He isn't in the lineup tonight. Reimold is trying to convince Buck Showalter that he...