BOSTON -- Jon Lester turned in a decent outing, but not good enough for a win, as the Red Sox dropped the opener of their three-game series against the Orioles, 4-2, at Fenway Park Friday night.
Lester went seven innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts and a wild pitch. He fell to 9-13, with a 4.96 ERA.
Miguel Gonzalez earned the win for the Orioles, improving to 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA. He went 6 13 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts. It was the second win this season against the Sox for Bostons 2008 Rule 5 pick.
Lester was given a brief 1-0 lead in the third when Daniel Nava and Pedro Ciriaco doubled. But Lester gave up two runs in fourth when J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, and Matt Wieters opened the inning with consecutive singles.
The Sox tied the game in the fifth. With two outs Ciriaco, Scott Podsednik, and Dustin Pedroia each singled, tying the score, 2-2.
But the Os went ahead in the sixth when Jones walked with one out, scoring on Wieters double. Mark Reynolds double scored Reynolds.
Scott Atchison pitched a scoreless eighth, giving up a hit with one strikeout. It was his 40th appearance of the season, three behind his career high in 2010.
Boston Red Sox
Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless ninth, but hit Red Sox nemesis Robert Andino in the helmet with a pitch, forcing Andino out of the game. Melancon also gave up a hit.
Ciriaco and Podsednik led the Sox offense, going 2-for-4 each. Ciriaco also had an RBI and scored a run. Dustin Pedroias two-out RBI single in the fifth snapped an 0-for-18 slide.
Jim Johnson earned his 46th save with a scoreless ninth.