This article appears courtesy of mlb.com
By Ian Browne
MLB Reporter
BOSTON -- The Orioles and the Fenway Park infield proved to be a big pain to the Red Sox on Monday night.
Facing Boston for the first time since being shutout in consecutive games last Wednesday and Thursday, Baltimore used three hits and two RBIs from Brian Roberts and B.J. Surhoff's first homer to support six strong innings from Bruce Chen as the Orioles beat the Red Sox, 8-4, in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park.
And while the Sox lost for the third time in four outings, the main concern afterward was the health of two pitchers injured while attempting to field their position.
Sox starter David Wells (2-3) was tagged for eight hits and six runs over 3 2/3 innings before leaving with a sprained right foot, and reliever Matt Mantei sprained his left ankle after stepping in a hole behind third base in the seventh. Wells was taken to nearby Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for further testing while Mantei's injury appeared less serious.
"David Wells is being evaluated now at Beth Israel," skipper Terry Francona reported after the loss. "Right now, it's a foot sprain and he's going to go through all of the tests that are appropriate. And when we know more, we'll let you know."
Roberts got the night off and running for the Birds in the first when he singled, stole second and third and then scored on a Miguel Tejada groundout. The Orioles became the first team to score against Boston in the first inning this season.
The Sox came back for their only lead of the game in the bottom of the inning. An Edgar Renteria single scored Johnny Damon to tie the score, and Kevin Millar's single to left plated Renteria for a 2-1 Boston advantage.
But Boston could never find its offensive rhythm against Chen, a finesse lefty, whose fastball ranged between 83-87 mph. Chen (2-1) scattered nine hits over six-plus innings, allowing three runs and leaving with runners on first and second in the seventh, with none out. Reliever Todd Williams got out of the jam with a Renteria 5-4-3 double play and a Manny Ramirez groundout.
"We had a pretty good first inning, but it just stopped," said Sox center fielder Johnny Damon, who was 3-for-3 in the loss. "He's been pitching well so far this year. He's come a long ways, and he's bounced around a little. It looks like he has some confidence right now."
Baltimore, which won its fourth straight, took the lead for good in the second on an RBI double from Matos and a grounder from Geronimo Gil, which was misplayed by David Ortiz.
A bad omen of things to come happened when Javy Lopez opened the fourth with a swinging bunt to the third-base side of the mound. Wells broke on the ball, but came up limping in his effort, which resulted in an infield hit for the Orioles center fielder.
"When he pushed off, we saw him kind of limping back," Francona said. "He looked uncomfortable and he said he was. He just wanted a second to settle down. He threw a (warm-up) pitch or two and he was ready to go.
"I thought he was having a tough time. He wanted to walk it off for a minute and let it calm down. He looked uncomfortable."
It appeared Wells would be able to work around the injury, getting ahead of Surhoff with two quick strikes. But Wells left his third pitch up and over the middle of the plate, and Surhoff capitalized, swatting a two-run homer to the first row of grandstand seats in right.
"I think he was battling today, anyways," Varitek said of his starter's command. "But that (injury) didn't help."
Adding to the painful night for Sox pitchers, reliever Mantei sprained his left ankle while backing up third on a two-out double by Lopez in the seventh.
"I was going to back up third base and I slipped and turned my ankle," Mantei. "It was kind of freak thing. It happened real fast. It should be fine. I came out just as a precaution, to make sure I don't do anything to my shoulder with the landing foot. It's a little tender on the ligament on the outside of my ankle, but I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal."
Mantei, like Wells, is listed as day-to-day.
"Buzzard's luck tonight," Mantei said in his best Jimy Williams impersonation. "(Trainer) Jim Rowe didn't want to go back out there again."
Matos also stole two bases, giving Baltimore four on the night in as many attempts.
Varitek connected for his fifth homer, a towering shot to the Lansdowne Street parking garage in the sixth.
"We don't hit panic buttons around here," Varitek said. "We go out and play. We've got to rely on all our guys. Hopefully, Matt will be fine and hopefully David will be fine. If not, we have to pick each other up."
