BOSTON (AP) – Wade Miller scattered five hits over seven innings to rebound from an awful outing, and the Boston Red Sox broke through against Daniel Cabrera on Tuesday night to beat the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles 5-1.

One night after the Orioles knocked Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo out with seven runs in three innings, Miller (2-1) held Baltimore to one run while striking out three and walking three. In an 8-1 loss to Toronto on Thursday, he allowed seven runs – six in the first – and lasted just two innings.

Cabrera (4-4) held Boston hitless until Mark Bellhorn bounced a grounder up the middle with one out and one on in the fifth – the first of four consecutive hits.

John Olerud doubled to make it 1-1, then Edgar Renteria and David Ortiz followed with RBI singles. Trot Nixon hit a hard one-hopper off Cabrera’s glove; he fielded it and got the out at first, but Renteria scored to make it 4-1.

Cabrera was charged with four runs on six hits and three walks, striking out three in 5 2-3 innings. In three career starts against Boston, he is 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA.

Baltimore has lost four of five but remains three games in front of Boston in the division.

The Red Sox had a scare when center fielder Johnny Damon ran into the wall of the Boston bullpen pursuing Jay Gibbons’ triple in the third. Damon received four stitches above his right eye. He had scratches and bruises, but there were no symptoms of a concussion, the team said.

Damon remained on the ground for a few seconds before popping up and appearing to shake off the injury. Gibbons scored on Sal Fasano’s double to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Olerud pinch hit for Damon to start the bottom half of the inning, forcing first baseman Kevin Millar to move to left. Jay Payton moved from left to center.

Notes: Brian Roberts extended his hitting streak to 20 games, longest in the AL this year, with a single in the first inning. … Sammy Sosa just missed his first homer since April 24 and his fifth of the season when Damon made a catch on the warning track in front of Boston’s bullpen in right-center field in the second. … Boston LF Manny Ramirez missed just his second game this season when manager Terry Francona decided to give him a rest. Payton replaced him in left field and Nixon took his cleanup spot in the lineup. … C Doug Mirabelli is scheduled to come off the disabled list Friday but likely won’t play then to give his sprained left wrist more time to heal.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.