No panic in loose clubhouse at trip's end
BALTIMORE -- If the stress of dropping five games out of six is starting to weigh on the Red Sox, they have a funny way of showing it. Not even falling out of first place is a cause for panic. Instead, there's an everything-will-be-OK vibe.
As reporters staked out designated hitter David Ortiz to get an explanation of his ninth-inning ejection following Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Orioles, Manny Ramirez played the unlikely role of traffic cop/comic relief to cut the tension.
It started innocently enough, while Ortiz was shining his shoes and joking with teammates. Two lockers away, Ramirez turned to the waiting media members and said, "We turn the page. Go home."
Then things got downright funny. As Ortiz turned to face the music and explain his actions, Ramirez approached the hoard, arms outstretched, creating a buffer zone between questioners and quarry, and muttered something suggesting that Big Papi had the easy out if he wanted to take it.
The 10-game road trip that started so promisingly with three wins in four games at Detroit has turned into a 4-5 bender. It ends Wednesday at Camden Yards, when the Red Sox play an afternoon getaway game, a Thursday off-day as their reward before beginning a seven-game homestand.
"Scuffling?" asked bench coach Brad Mills, who managed the team while Terry Francona flew to be with his family in Arizona following the passing of his mother-in-law. "I think we're still having some good at-bats. ... Guys are putting good at-bats together."
That's all that has to happen, catcher Jason Varitek said. That, and, well, a couple of good outings by starting pitchers.
"Those things have to fall your way a little bit," Varitek said. "We got out there and we start with a quality pitching outing and it'll make a way, because I think we've had some decent at-bats."
Leave it to erstwhile philosopher Ramirez, who is two home runs short of 500 for his career, to put the latest disappointing chapter of the Red Sox's road trip into perspective.
"This day is gone," Ramirez said. "We're going to move on."
Pitching matchup
BOS: LHP Jon Lester (2-2, 4.06 ERA)
Lester has allowed three earned runs or less in his last three starts, and that kind of outing is just what the Red Sox need at the end of a long, frustrating road swing.
BAL: RHP Daniel Cabrera (3-1, 3.54 ERA)
What happened to the Cabrera who led the American League in losses and walks last season? This year's version has cut down on free passes, is stingy with hits and is piling up strikeouts.
Tidbits
Despite a fingernail problem, right-hander Clay Bucholz will make his next scheduled start on Sunday, when the Red Sox close out an Interleague series at Fenway Park against the Brewers. ... Ramirez has 145 RBIs in his career at Camden Yards, fourth-most all-time behind three Hall of Famers: Harmon Killebrew and Carl Yastrzemski (170 each) and Al Kaline (158).