Flaherty takes left field assignment as "just another game" (O's win 9-5)

BOSTON - Ryan Flaherty is taking on the Green Monster again. No slingshot. Just a glove and a clue how to play it.

Flaherty has made only eight career starts in left field, but tonight marks his third at Fenway Park. He made six starts in 2012 and one last year, on Sept. 26 in Boston.

Manager Buck Showalter inserted Flaherty into left field yesterday in the ninth inning after the Maine native pinch-hit for Nolan Reimold.

Showalter didn't give Flaherty advance notice on tonight's start.

"No, you look at the lineup and see if you're playing," Flaherty said. "I feel pretty comfortable. I've played it before. Just another game.

"If you haven't played it before, a lot of time the depth perception of balls, you think balls are going to hit (the wall) and they don't. If you chase it too far into the wall, the ball bounces. You've just got to read the ball off of the bat and tell right away if it's going to be a double or not."

Flaherty received lots of pregame work in left to get his bearings.

"(Wayne) Kirby will take me out early and make sure I don't screw up," he said, smiling.

Flaherty will meet with center fielder Joey Rickard before the game, as Mark Trumbo did yesterday, to make certain they're on the same page regarding the pursuit of fly balls and who's backing up in case of a crazy bounce.

"Yeah, this field for sure presents a couple different challenges as far as relays, backing balls up and stuff," Flaherty said. "Just communication is the biggest thing and I'm sure we'll be fine on that."

Flaherty is used to moving around. He can play any position, his versatility the primary reason why he's stuck in the majors.

"I always had an outfield glove," he said, wearing one while being interviewed outside the clubhouse. "I switch around. Sometimes, I use (Adam Jones') glove or someone else's glove. Whatever feels best that night."

Finding a comfort zone in the Fenway Park outfield is one of the bigger challenges in baseball. The Green Monster isn't the only threat.

"I think right field here can be just as challenging," Flaherty said. "There's a lot of green out there. Center field is a triangle. Left field is a wall. All three are going to present a challenge and you're going to have to deal with it."

There's more to Flaherty's start tonight besides his defense at a tricky position. He's 7-for-18 lifetime against Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz and he's a career .375 hitter in 22 games at Fenway Park.

"I'm sure that played a factor into it," Flaherty said. "You just look at the lineup and you're in there and you try to help the team win that night."

The Orioles only know winning so far, starting out 6-0 for the first time in club history.

"It's been a good six games," Flaherty said. "It doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Six games out of the way and 156."

There could be a few more that include Flaherty in the outfield. Tonight made the most sense.

"Today was kind of, he's hit well in this park and you're always looking for anybody who might have had a little success against Buchholz," Showalter said. "He's played left field here before. He actually played it well two or three times. And Ryan's always good in New England.

"He's been a guy that can play all over, kind of like (Brock) Holt in a lot of ways."

Note: The Orioles have covered a camera in the visiting bullpen, which became apparent last night during NESN's broadcast. Apparently, they didn't like the angle it provided of their pitchers warming up, which opposing hitters might use to their advantage.

Asked about it by a Red Sox reporter, Showalter replied, "They did? I would tell you if I knew about it."

Update: Pitching for the first time in 15 days, Mike Wright served up a two-run homer to David Ortiz in the first inning.

Wright struck out Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, but Ortiz drove a 96 mph fastball over the right field fence to give Boston a 2-0 lead. Wright threw 23 pitches in the inning.

Ortiz is 3-for-3 with two home runs off Wright.

Chris Davis walked and Mark Trumbo singled in the first. Trumbo is 11-for-25 this season.

Update II: J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer inside the Pesky Pole in right field to tie the game 2-2 in the fourth inning. Hardy didn't have a home run or RBI before tonight.

Update III: The Red Sox broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth on Mookie Betts' RBI double off the Green Monster and a wild pitch. Wright has thrown 96 pitches in five innings and Dylan Bundy was warming in the bullpen.

Wright's allowed four runs and five hits, with one walk, four strikeouts, a wild pitch and two hit batters.

Update IV: The Orioles scored three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead.

Davis led off with a single and Trumbo homered to deep left, a monstrous shot over the Green Monster that tied the game. Trumbo has homered in consecutive games.

Matt Wieters walked, Pedro Alvarez doubled off the Monster and Buchholz was finished, leaving to a chorus of boos. Alvarez is 2-for-17 with the Orioles.

Hardy lined out to left for his third RBI on the night.

Bundy has replaced Wright, making his second appearance of the season and fourth of his major league career. He debuted at Fenway Park on Sept. 23, 2012, not allowing a run in two-thirds of an inning.

Update V: The Orioles have put nine runs on the board for the second consecutive game.

They scored four in the seventh, the last two on Hardy's second home run of the night into the right field corner. Hardy has 12 career multi-homer games.

Matt Wieters followed Trumbo's third hit of the night with a two-run single, giving him six RBIs this season.

Trumbo is 13-for-27 this season.

Update VI: Ortiz had an RBI double in the eighth off Bundy, who went 2 1/3 innings. T.J. McFarland recorded the last two outs. Darren O'Day is warming with the Orioles leading 9-5.

Update VII: It's over. The Orioles defeated the Red Sox 9-5 for their first seven-game winning streak since 2005.

Wright gets the win. O'Day recorded the final out after replacing McFarland, who retired three of four batters and got a big double play in the ninth.