Newly acquired Victor Martinez had 5 hits and 4 RBIs as the Boston Red Sox pounded out 23 hits in an 18-10 win over the Baltimore Orioles in front of 43,115 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Red Sox improve to 20-games above .500 at 62-42 but stay a 1/2 game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East as they won on Sunday as well. The Orioles drop to 44-60.

Apparently Clay Buchholz didn’t want to get a win on Sunday afternoon as he was spotted a seven run lead. He left the game with a 14-7 lead after 4+ innings and wasn’t involved in the decision. He allowed the 7 runs on 9 hits and 4 wa;ls while striking out 3.

Manny Delcarmen was awarded he win as he went 1 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on a hit and 2 walks with a strikeout. Ramon Ramirez gave up a run on 4 hits with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. Takashi Saito was the only pitcher in the game not to give up a run as he allowed just a hit in the final 2 innings.

Jason Berken would probably just forget his start as would I’m sure the other five Orioles who pitched in the game. Berken allowed 6 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks in 1 1/3 innings.

Brian Bass allowed 4 runs in 2 innings and Matt Albers 4 runs in 1/3 of an inning. Mark Hendrickson gave up 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings, Cla Meredith one run in two innings and Jim Johnson gave up a run in an inning.

Given the fact the Red Sox had 23 hits on the afternoon, you would think that every member of the starting nine would have haat least one hit. That’s not the case as David Ortiz went 0-for-5 but had an RBI on a bases loaded walk.

Kevin Youkilis went 3-for-4 with 2 walks and 2 RBIs and finished the series 10-for-12. Mike Lowell extended his hitting streak to 11-games and finished with 3 hits and 3 RBIs. Dustin Pedroia also had 3 hits while Jacoby Ellsbury, Rocco Baldelli (home run) and Jed Lowrie all had 2 hits on the afternoon.

Josh Reddick also had two hits for the Red Sox and hit his first MLB home run. J.D. Drew had a double and 3 RBIs before leaving the game after tweaking his groin again.

Ugly start for Buchholz this afternoon and he’ll need to turn it around. It’s not good when you’re spotted such a big lead and you don’t get a decision.

The Red Sox will be off on Monday and they’ll enjoy that off day in Tampa. Jon Lester will start for the Red Sox while Sox-killer Matt Garza starts for Joe Maddon and the Rays.

Boston Red Sox @ Baltimore Orioles 8.2.09 box score

According to the Associated Press, former UConn Huskies All-American running back Donald Brown has come to terms with the Indianapolis Colts on a contract. Particulars of the deal aren’t available right now.

Brown, who led all FCS running backs in rushing, was drafted in the 1st round with the 27th overall pick by the Colts.

UConn Football links

Lutrus not the UConn linebacker you remember [Connecticut Post]

Journey Just Beginning For Former UConn RB Donald Brown [Hartford Courant]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Faris, U.S. go for gold [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

U.S. To Play Spain For Gold Medal [Rich Elliott – Connecticut Post]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Former Husky Kevin Ollie Signs With Thunder [Hartford Courant]

After taking game 1 of a 3-game set last night, the Boston Red Sox look to make it two in-a-row against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The game tonight will start at 7:05 PM EDT and will be televised in the Red Sox television market on NESN. If you live in the Orioles market, you can catch the game on MASN. And if the television isn’t your cup of tea, you can catch the game on one of the many affiliates of the Red Sox Radio Network.

Josh Beckett has the task of trying to help secure a win for the Red Sox tonight. Beckett has made 20 starts this season and is 12-4 with a 3.44 ERA. A win tonight would give him the MLB lead. He’s made two starts against the Orioles this season and is 1-0 with a 5.54 ERA. In 11 starts against the O’s, Beckett is 5-2 with a 4.05 ERA. He’s made 7 starts in Baltimore and is 4-1 with a 3.47 ERA.

David Hernandez will toe the rubber for the Orioles and Dave Trembley. He’s appeared in 8 games (7 starts) and is 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA. His only start against the Red Sox was his last start where he scattered 5 hits over 7 innings to end the Orioles 11-game losing streak at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox made a few rosters move this afternoon as they sent pitcher Marcus McBeth back to Pawtucket and placed catcher George Kottaras on the 15-day DL with a lower back strain (Thanks to Dan Roche of WBZ for the info).

Sox roster moves [Extra Bases]

Victor Martinez arrives [Extra Bases]

Drew is being careful with strain [Extra Bases]

Victor(y) Is Ours! – A Few Martinez Numbers [Nuggetpalooza]

Notes on Kotchman At Fenway [Wicked Good Sports]

What it’s like to be traded [Wicked Good Sports]

Victor Martinez Talks About His New Team [Full Count]

Reddick gets his first career start [Projo Sox Blog]

Drew’s groin strain improving, Sunday return possible [Projo Sox Blog]

60-42		44-58
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Brian Roberts	2B
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. Adam Jones	CF
3. Victor Martinez	1B	3. Nick Markakis	RF
4. Kevin Youkilis	3B	4. Aubrey Huff	1B
5. David Ortiz	DH	5. Nolan Reimold	LF
6. Jason Bay	LF	6. Luke Scott	DH
7. Jason Varitek	C	7. Melvin Mora	3B
8. Josh Reddick	RF	8. Matt Wieters	C
9. Nick Green	SS	9. Cesar Izturis	SS
Josh Beckett	SP	David Hernandez	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers.

After an emotional day that saw Justin Masterson get traded to the Cleveland Indians, the Boston Red Sox had to get back to the business of playing baseball. No matter what emotions they were feeling, they had to go out and try to beat the Baltimore Orioles.

They did just that using the long ball despite a not so stellar effort from John Smoltz as they beat the O’s 6-5. Kevin Youkilis had the big blast as it was his 2-run homer in the 7th that gave the local nine the win. Jacoby Ellsbury had a home run and saved the game with an amazing catch to rob Luke Scott of a home run. David Ortiz also homered for the second straight game after being implicated in the 2003 steroids scandal.

It’s been 16 hour since the trade deadline and I’m sure we’ve all had time to digest what happened yesterday. Overall, I’m pleased with the addition of Victor Martinez but seriously confused by the Casey Kotchman/Adam LaRoche swap.

What does concern me though is losing Masterson and why Theo Epstein didn’t go after some starting pitching.

Given the state of the Red Sox rotation with only Josh Beckett and Jon Lester being consistent, it’s baffling to me that Theo thinks this rotation can get it done. Yes, Tim Wakefield has also been consistent but he’s currently on the DL and you just don’t know what you’re going to get out of him when he does return.

Obviously Smoltz hasn’t been the Smoltz that he or we are accustomed to. And Brad Penny, while he’s growing on me, can’t pitch 7 innings if his life depended on it. This is where Masterson comes in because he can offer the Red Sox short and long relief. Sure Masterson wasn’t having the best of seasons but he understood  his role on this team. And that was do anything he could whether it be start, short relief or long relief, to help the Red Sox win ballgames.

There is a little concern as far as Martinez goes as well. One where is he going to play and how is Terry Francona going to work him in the lineup. Obviously with his bat, he needs to be in the lineup at least 5-6 times a week. The other concern is during June and July, he’s hitting just .211 with 8 home runs and 31 RBIs. He hit just .175 with 1 home run and 10 RBIs during July.  Overall on the season, he is .284 with 15 HR and 67 RBI and has an OBP of .368.

Martinez has hit the ball well at the Fens. In 17 career games, he is hitting .313 with 4 home runs and 19 RBIs.

Does anyone out there understand the LaRoche/Kotchman swap especially given the fact that Martinez can also play first base? I get what Theo said yesterday when he thinks Kotchman is better suited for the role off the bench than LaRoche was. Both have played six seasons but the difference is Kotchman has played only 2 1/2 full  seasons. His first three were spent as a role player with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

I think we all thought when the trade happened that Kotchman would be flipped for a starter or some more bullpen help. But let’s take a look at their career numbers for a moment shall we.

Obviously, the Red Sox are losing power although LaRoche wasn’t playing every day in Boston. A big differennce to me is the fact that Kotchman walks as much as he strikes out. Both are above-average defenders at first base. So what’s the catch here?

The catch is the fact that LaRoche was set to be a free agent at the end of the season while Kotchman remains under the control of the Red Sox for the next two seasons (2010, 2011).

I would expect to see Kotchman get about one start a week and also come in for V-Mart as a defensive replacement when he’s playing first. It should be interesting to see what Tito does with the lineup for the rest of the season.

We know just need to hope that V-Mart”s bat can wake up and that Smoltz, Penny and Clay Buchholz can turn it around.

Links coming up after a 10-second pause for a commercial break.

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UConn Football links

Cruz Latest To Commit To Huskies [Hartford Courant]

UConn to open 2010 season at Michigan [New Haven Register]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

U.S. into semifinals [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Swin Cash puts past woes way behind her [Waterbury Republican-American]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Pacers’ Price is right [Anderson Herald Bulletin]

Donyell Marshall Takes Broadcasting Course [Hartford Courant]