Orioles top Red Sox for fourth straight win

Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora had four hits apiece, Brian Burres pitched five innings for his first major league victory last night to help the visiting Baltimore Orioles win their fourth consecutive game, beating the Boston Red Sox, 6-3.

Markakis singled to start a three-run rally that broke a fifth-inning tie, and the Orioles got help when Red Sox rightfielder Wily Mo Pena misplayed two consecutive balls: One went over his head for an RBI ground-rule double, another glanced off his glove for a run-scoring two-base error that made it 5-2.

Burres (1-1) allowed two runs on seven hits, striking out three and walking five - including David Ortiz three times. Four relievers bridged the gap to Chris Ray, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save.

"I'm glad for the kid," said reliever Jamie Walker, who went 1 1/3 innings. "His first big-league win; it'll be one he remembers, I'm sure. [Fenway Park] is one of the Meccas of sports."

Red Sox infielder Alex Cora said: "We had our chances earlier in the game and we didn't take advantage. The kid did a good job, just surviving. He made pitches when he had to and that's why he won the game."

Julian Tavarez (1-4), who is Boston's fifth starter and was outspoken in his opposition to the team's attempts to sign Roger Clemens, gave up five runs - four earned - on 10 hits while striking out two in five innings. The Red Sox left the bases loaded in the first, second and seventh innings, stranding 13 in all.

The loss snapped Boston's four-game winning streak and was only its fourth loss to the Orioles in 26 games going back to September 2005. Baltimore improved to .500 for the first time since losing nine of 10 to drop from second place behind Boston to 12-16 and last in the AL East.

In other games:

* At Chicago, Jon Garland (2-2) held the Royals without a run for eight innings and the White Sox beat Kansas City, 2-1.

* At Oakland, Jack Cust had a two-run homer in the Athletics' five-run seventh inning and finished with four RBI in an 8-2 win over Cleveland.

* At Toronto, A.J. Burnett (3-3) struck out a season-high 10 to win for the first time in three starts and the Blue Jays ended a nine-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Toronto third basemand Troy Glaus left in the first with an apparent leg injury.

* At Seattle, Jarrod Washburn (3-3) allowed six hits and struck out a season-high six in eight innings and Kenji Johjima hit a two-run homer, leading the Mariners to a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees.

* At Minneapolis, Mike Maroth (3-0) allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and Carlos Guillen homered and drove in four runs to help the Detroit Tigers to a 7-3 victory over the Twins.

* At Arlington, Texas, John Lackey (5-3) pitched into the ninth inning before departing after Sammy Sosa's 596th career homer and the Angels beat the Rangers, 6-3. Lackey struck out seven and walked one.

* Architect Stephane Sparta sued the estate of late New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, claiming his home was destroyed and he was emotionally injured when the ballplayer's small airplane crashed into his apartment building on Oct. 11, 2006.

In another matter, the Yankees said comebacking righthander Roger Clemens will report to minor league camp in Florida and pitch his first tuneup next Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

* Outfielder-first baseman Nick Swisher and the Oakland Athletics agreed on a $26.75 million, 5-year contract that also includes a 1-year club option for 2012. In another matter, outfielder Milton Bradley (hamstring) was activated from the DL.

* Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay could miss 4 to 6 weeks after having an appendectomy.

* The Mariners placed righthander Jeff Weaver on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis.

* The Kansas City Royals placed catcher Jason LaRue on the 15-day DL with a bruised left shoulder. *