Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Nelson Cruz had a career-high five hits and clubbed his 27th home run of the season, as the Baltimore Orioles earned a split of a doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park by posting a 7-4 win Saturday night.
Cruz came close to completing the cycle, but was thrown out in his bid for a triple in the eighth.
Nick Hundley added a two-run blast for the Orioles, who had a four-game win streak snapped in the opener.
"Just grouped together a lot of good at-bats," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said about the offense.
It was a long but stellar night for the Baltimore bullpen, with five relievers combining to toss 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Brad Brach (3-0) earned the win and Zach Britton picked up his 13th save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Starter Ubaldo Jimenez didn't allow a hit through the first three innings, but couldn't complete the fourth. He gave up four runs on five hits in the frame and finished with six walks.
Boston starter John Lackey (9-6) was tagged for five runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He absorbed the loss despite striking out 11.
"You've got to their guys a lot of credit. That's a tough lineup," Lackey said. "I made a couple mistakes and they hit a couple balls out of the park."
The Red Sox scored a run in the ninth to win the opener 3-2.
Baltimore opened the scoring in the fourth on Hundley's home run, but Stephen Drew quickly tied the game in the bottom of the inning. He followed a leadoff walk to Mike Napoli with his second home run of the day.
After striking out Jonny Gomes, Jimenez gave up four consecutive hits. Brock Holt doubled home A.J. Pierzynski with the go-ahead run and scored on a Daniel Nava single to make it 4-2.
The O's, however, rallied against Lackey. Cruz belted a solo homer in the fifth before Baltimore put up a four-run sixth inning.
Burke Badenhop relieved Lackey with two men aboard and didn't retire a batter, surrendering three singles. Steve Pearce knocked in Jonathan Schoop, Nick Markakis scored after Nava misplayed Adam Jones' blooper to right field and Cruz plated Pearce with an infield hit.
Jones came home on a force play at third to give Baltimore a three-run lead.
Game Notes
David Ortiz doubled in the fifth, tying Harry Hooper for seventh place on the Red Sox's all-time hits list with 1,707 ... The Orioles were 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position ... Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado returned to the lineup for the nightcap after completing a five-game suspension for a bat-tossing incident against Oakland on June 8.
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