FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Luis Matos homered with two outs in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Oriole blanked Boston 2-0 on Friday, handing the Red Sox their fourth straight spring training loss.

Matos hit fastball from Barry Hertzler over the fence in right field, snapping an Orioles scoreless streak of 25 innings over three games.

Locked in a battle for an outfield position after missing time to play with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, Matos said the game-winning blast didn’t give him an edge in manager Sam Perlozzo’s decision.

“I’m back here, back to business and I need to do what I need to do. … (Perlozzo) is going to decide who he puts out there,” Matos said.

Matos’ opposite-field shot came after the Orioles appeared to win the game when pinch-runner Esix Snead was called out at home on a disputed play.

Snead broke from third on Jeff Conine’s bouncer to third baseman Trent Durrington and appeared to brush home plate with his left hand before catcher Alberto Concepcion dropped the throw on a sweeping tag.

But home plate umpire Angel Hernandez ruled that Snead missed the plate, Concepcion picked up the loose ball and tagged Snead for the second out.

Right-hander Rodrigo Lopez and three relievers held the Red Sox to two hits, with Chris Ray pitching a scoreless ninth for the victory.

Lopez went six innings – the longest outing by an Orioles pitcher this spring – allowing two singles, walking four and striking out three.

“With two outs left for me before opening day, it gives me a lot of confidence,” said Lopez, who was named the Orioles’ April 3 starter against Tampa Bay.

“I was just trying to keep the ball down.

“Probably, I didn’t have my best control in this game with my fastball.”

AP-ES-03-24-06 1655EST