V-Mart comes off bench to lift Red Sox

Red Sox 7, Orioles 5


By John Barone / MLB.com

BOSTON -- Terry Francona intended on resting Victor Martinez in Wednesday's series finale against the Orioles. And the Red Sox manager kept his word -- until the bottom of the seventh inning.

Called on to pinch-hit in a tie game with one out and the bases loaded, Martinez made the most of his opportunity, drilling a go-ahead three-run double to left-center field that gave Boston a lead it wouldn't relinquish in a 7-5 win over Baltimore at Fenway Park. 

The Red Sox maintained their two-game lead in the American League Wild Card standings over the Rangers, who trounced the Indians in a 10-0 laugher on Wednesday afternoon.

Billy Wagner fired a perfect top of the seventh inning to collect his first career American League victory and Jonathan Papelbon nailed down a four-out save for Boston (81-58), which won both games of the two-game set against a Baltimore club it has defeated in 13 of 14 meetings at Fenway dating back to July 12, 2008.   Read More