Recap - Three HR's help Sox pummel Birds

Jim Monaghan
Contributing writer

The Red Sox got home runs from Daniel Nava, David Ortiz and Jonny Gomes to beat the Orioles 12-3 at Camden Yards. The win was the 97th for Boston this year and moved the Sox to within one win of clinching the best record in the American League as the playoffs approach.

Clay Buchholz was the beneficiary of the twelve-run outburst to fittingly earn his twelfth win of the season. He went seven innings and allowed all three Baltimore runs on seven hits (including two home runs). He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.

The Red Sox got off to a fast start scoring five runs in the top of the first inning off Baltimore starting pitching Scott Feldman. Mike Napoli had an RBI double followed by a three-run home run by Daniel Nava,(pictured with Ortiz and Napoli, courtesy of Patrick Semansky/AP) and capped off by an RBI triple by Stephen Drew.

Boston added three runs in the sixth and eighth innings, and a single run in the ninth in handing the Orioles their seventy seventh loss of the season.

Boston roughed up Baltimore pitching for sixteen hits including three each by Dustin Pedroia and Gomes. Ortiz's home run came in the eighth inning with two on; it was his thirtieth long ball of the year and marked the seventh time in his career that he's hit at least that many.

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