Red Sox 4, Orioles 6: Quick Reaction

They just can't win.

Somehow the Red Sox have managed to find a way to lose their third straight game, and four-of-five, and 14-of-25 now on the year. And, as they often are, the Sox managed to be artistic about it.

There's something impressive, after all, about Lester giving up leads so quickly. After being granted a 1-0 advantage in the third, he gave up a solo shot to Mark Reynolds. Again, with a 3-1 lead in the fourth, he walked the leadoff batter, gave up an RBI triple, and then a single to equalize it at 3-3. He would not record an out with the lead until the sixth.

Still, Lester managed the quality start, and had it not been for the seventh, he might have had the win as well. Unfortunately, Vicente Padilla was just shaky enough that, with Adrian Gonzalez costing him an out by foolishly throwing to third to try and get the lead runner in Mark Reynolds rather than take the easy out at first, he gave up the fourth run the Orioles would need to eventually send it to extras.

About the only positives we have from today--other than Gonzalez managing to go 3-for-6 to break his unfortunate slump--come from Alfredo Aceves, who was at his best. Allowed to go 2.2 innings, Aceves struck out the side in both the tenth and eleventh, leaving with just a couple hits to his name. That's a very impressive performance from the closer being used in the best way possible.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Franklin Morales, who gave up as many runs as he recorded outs (two), leaving the Sox down and out, 6-4.