Orioles Blank Red Sox 2-0

(AP) Red Sox limited to 3 hits in 2-0 loss to Orioles
By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
BALTIMORE
Ryan Dempster pitched well enough to win. Boston’s offense didn’t do enough to make it happen.

The Red Sox wasted a solid start by Dempster, managing only three hits off Chris Tillman and three Baltimore relievers in a 2-0 loss Friday night.

Tillman took a two-hitter into the seventh inning and Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 22nd home run for the Orioles, who moved within 1 1/2 games of first-place Boston in the AL East.

Jose Iglesias contributed two hits for the Red Sox and Shane Victorino had one. That was pretty much it for the Boston attack.

Boston, which leads the majors in runs, absorbed its fourth shutout.

Making his first career appearance at Camden Yards, the 36-year-old Dempster (4-7) gave up two runs and five hits in 7 2-3 innings. Unfortunately for the right-hander, the Red Sox got only one hit after the fourth and now have gone 15 straight innings without scoring a run.

Boston catcher David Ross said of Dempster: “Ryan did a great job, threw a great game. That was a huge, huge performance. Those last innings, I think, were his best innings. The slider was really sharp, fastball was sinking.”

Baltimore got only one hit after the third inning, but by then it was 2-0.

Tillman (7-2) allowed three hits and four walks in six-plus innings. The right-hander permitted only one runner to get past second base in winning his third straight start.

After Iglesias chased Tillman with a leadoff double in the seventh, Darren O’Day got three successive outs. Tommy Hunter worked a perfect eighth and Jim Johnson completed the three-hitter to earn his 24th save.

Boston has lost two in a row for the first time since May 28-29 against Philadelphia, and its streak of winning four consecutive series is over. The Red Sox are 1-4 against the Orioles this season and have won only four of the last 17 games between the clubs.

Davis led off the second inning with an opposite-field drive into the left-field seats, his sixth homer in the last eight games against the Red Sox.

Baltimore made it 2-0 in the third. Nate McLouth walked, took second on a single, advanced on a fly ball and scored when Adam Jones reached on a two-out dribbler down the third base line.

Tillman issued a walk in each of the first four innings but kept the Red Sox at bay. After Boston got runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, Will Middlebrooks hit a short fly to right and David Ross struck out.

NOTES: Baltimore’s Manny Machado hit two doubles to increase his majors-leading total to 30. He also extended his hitting streak to 12 games, a new career high. … The Red Sox recalled RHP Rubby De La Rosa from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Alex Wilson to the same club. … The Orioles recalled RHP Jake Arrieta to fill out their weary bullpen. … After being designated for assignment Monday, Boston INF Pedro Ciriaco was traded to San Diego for a player to be named or cash. … John Lackey will start for Boston on Saturday against Baltimore and Freddy Garcia. Lackey is 11-4 lifetime against the Orioles and Garcia is 10-4 vs. Boston. … J.J. Hardy went hitless against Dempster and is 2 for 30 lifetime against the right-hander. … Iglesias has hit in 15 straight games in which he has a plate appearance. … The Orioles reinstated LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (elbow) from the 60-day disabled list and optioned him to Norfolk. … McLouth stole his 23rd base, tying a career high.