The Red Sox Orioles game ending was nuts

red sox lead 1-0 in top 9 man on second two out. Foulke throws strike three to Javy Lopez, except it isnt called strike 3, its called a ball. one pitch later, Foulke again throws strike 3 looking even more obvious this time, but again its called a ball.

Next pitch Lopez crushes a change-up over the monster for a 2-1 Orioles lead. The home plate umpire officially killed the red sox.

then in bottom nine, man on, Mueller hits what looks like a game winning HR with one on and no out, but it hits off the wall.

a pop out and a called strike 3 on Damon later ( On a pitch worse than what the ump called balls on Javy Lopez) and it appear the red sox are going to be sunk now with two outs and a clutch hit needed. Apparently George Steinbrenner is calling balls and strikes in the 9th. :lukesky And then Bellhorn hits one into the gap and the Red Sox win! arty:

Mr. Smith, nice avatar. The Bellhorn hit was huge, Fenway went beserk. The only shame was Schilling didn't get a win after pitching maybe his best game of the year. He will get over it.





wil.

BOSTON (AP) Mark Bellhorn singled in two runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Boston Red Sox rallied to a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak after nearly blowing the game in the top of the inning.

Curt Schilling cruised through eight innings, striking out a season-high 14 as he went for his major league-leading 21st victory.

Given a 1-0 lead on Kevin Millar's sacrifice fly in the eighth, Keith Foulke (4-3) gave up Javy Lopez's two-run homer on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the ninth.

B.J. Ryan (3-6) walked Kevin Youkilis in the bottom half, and Bill Mueller doubled off the Green Monster for his career-high fourth hit. Pinch-hitter David McCarty popped up to first, then Johnny Damon struck out looking.

Jorge Julio came on to face Bellhorn, who had already struck out twice in the game and 161 times in the season - one shy of the franchise record. Bellhorn laced a pitch to deep center field, and the Red Sox came pouring out of the dugout, chasing him to second base, even before pinch-runner Dave Roberts and Mueller had time to touch the plate.

"It's not the time of year to lose four in a row," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Boston, the AL wild-card leader, managed to keep pace with the New York Yankees, who beat Toronto 5-3 to preserve their 4½-game lead in the AL East. The Red Sox and Yankees will play three times this weekend at Fenway Park.

Schilling pitched eight innings of three-hit ball, walking one and allowing just two runners to reach second base; both times he struck out the remaining batters in the inning. Rodrigo Lopez nearly matched Schilling, allowing one run and five hits and striking out seven in seven-plus innings.

But the game was still scoreless when the umpires came out to check his cap in the bottom of the eighth, and he walked the first two batters of the half-inning.

Lopez walked Damon and Bellhorn, then Jason Grimsley came on to face Manny Ramirez and got him to bounce the ball to the left side. Third baseman Melvin Mora's only play was to first, allowing the runners to advance.

David Ortiz was intentionally walked, then Ryan came on to face Millar, who was pinch hitting, Millar lofted a short, looping fly down the right field line; David Newhan caught it, spun and threw to the plate, but it wasn't in time to get Damon.

Foulke came in for the save and allowed Miguel Tejada's one-out single and then got ahead 0-2 in the count against Lopez, who then worked it full. Lopez followed with a drive over the Green Monster for his 20th homer.

The Red Sox had allowed nine or more runs in each of their previous three games. But Schilling is 7-0 following a Boston loss and he pitched well enough to win again.

It was his fourth game of the season with at least 10 strikeouts and the 90th of his career - sixth-most in major league history. He threw 114 pitches, 90 for strikes.

Lopez entered with just 35 career wins, eight against Boston; he was 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA against the Red Sox this year. He had won three consecutive starts and hasn't lost since Aug. 18.

Notes: Bellhorn had two strikeouts to give him 161 for the season, one shy of the franchise record set by Butch Hobson in 1977. ... Orioles 1B Rafael Palmeiro is day to day with a right hamstring strain. "Its a just a slight strain," said Palmeiro, who said he injured it rounding second base in the fifth inning of Mondays win. ... Boston recalled RHP Byung-Hyun Kim from Triple-A. ... Red Sox SS Orlando Cabrera is expected back in the lineup Wednesday after being with his wife during surgery in Bogota, Colombia.