Harris was thrown out for just the 15th time in 65 career attempts (that's a 77 percent success rate), costing Nixon a chance to bat with what would have been a 2-and-0 count. But, as Francona aptly pointed out, ''I don't think the game was lost in ninth inning. In the middle innings we just didn't do anything."
The Sox scored once in the first (a David Ortiz RBI ground out) and twice in the ninth, when Ortiz went down to get a 98-mile-per-hour Chris Ray fastball with thunderous results (two-run laser to left-center). But, from the second through eighth innings the Sox had one hit and three base runners (Wily Mo Peña's leadoff walk in the second, Kevin Youkilis's leadoff walk in the third, and Manny Ramírez's leadoff double in the seventh). Erik Bedard, who allowed a run on two hits over seven innings, earned the win in brilliant fashion, ending an embarrassing run of futility for this wallowing Baltimore organization. Until last night the Sox had ripped off 13 wins in a row against the Orioles. In those 13 inglorious games the results were stunningly one-sided:
Sox starters were 12-0 with a 2.78 ERA. Sox relievers were 1-0 with seven saves and a 2.43 ERA.
Orioles starters were 0-11 with a 9.91 ERA and nearly as many walks (44) as strikeouts (45). Baltimore's bullpen was respectable (0-2, 3.88 ERA).
Sox hitters had raked Baltimore pitching at a .304 clip, cranking out 135 hits and scoring 93 runs.
Baltimore batters had hit just .231 (101 for 438), scoring only 41 runs.
The Sox, early last night, had themselves well positioned for No. 14 in a row. Youkilis began the night by working Bedard for 10 pitches and walked. Mark Loretta, who with two hits is 24 for his last 49, followed with a double to left. Ortiz grounded to Kevin Millar at first, scoring Youkilis and moving Loretta to third with just one out.
But Ramírez struck out and Mike Lowell grounded to shortstop, leaving Loretta on base. That would be it until the ninth.
