Each day brings the surging Baltimore Orioles closer to an improbable playoff berth. It also allows them to keep pace in the race for an even unlikelier division title.
Seeking a season-high sixth straight win, the Orioles aim to continue their Fenway Park dominance Saturday against the Boston Red Sox.
A 93-loss season in 2011 seems like a lifetime ago for Baltimore (86-64), which has won 21 of 31 to move into the AL's top wild-card spot. The Orioles opened this three-game series with a 4-2 victory Friday night, pinning a loss on Boston left-hander Jon Lester for the first time in 21 meetings.
Matt Wieters drove in three runs and Jim Johnson notched his club record and major league-leading 46th save for Baltimore, which remained one game behind the Yankees in the East. New York beat the Athletics 2-1 in 10 innings to drop Oakland one game in back of the Orioles.
"I think Buck's (Showalter) done a very good job of trying to change the mentality of the players," Lester said. "The offense was always there. They could always hit the ball and run. They lacked a little bit of the pitching, whether it was the starting or the back end of the bullpen. They've done a good job filling those pieces. It's finally coming together for them."
Friday's victory was the league-leading 44th on the road for Baltimore, which has won eight of nine in Boston dating to last season. The Orioles need one more win in this series to record seven victories at Fenway in a single season for the first time since 1966, the year of the franchise's first World Series title.
"We were even seeing for the first time ... Baltimore fans in Boston," Johnson said. "I've never seen that before, so it's pretty cool how things are changing."
Mark Reynolds also knocked in a run Friday for Baltimore, and he's batting .441 (15 for 34) with five homers and 15 RBIs against the Red Sox this year.
Wieters' three-RBI night gave him eight in his last four games.
Assured of its first losing season since 1997 - the year of Baltimore's last winning campaign - the Red Sox (68-84) have dropped three straight overall and six of seven at home.
Jim Thome was activated from the disabled list Friday and could be back in Baltimore's lineup for the first time after missing nearly two months with a herniated disc in his neck. Thome, though, is 0 for 5 lifetime against scheduled starter Aaron Cook (4-10, 4.93 ERA).
Orioles second baseman Robert Andino seems unlikely to play after he was hit in the left ear flap by a pitch from Mark Melancon in the ninth inning. He was scheduled to have a CAT scan.
Randy Wolf (2-0, 5.23) makes his second start of the season for the Orioles. In his first career AL start following three relief appearances, the veteran left-hander gave up two runs and six hits over four innings at Oakland on Sunday, but it was enough to help Baltimore avoid a sweep with a 9-5 victory.
Including his time with Milwaukee, Wolf is 0-4 with a 5.80 ERA in his last seven starts since beating St. Louis on July 17.
Cook looks to win consecutive starts for the first time since late June. The sinkerballer snapped a six-start winless streak with a 5-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Monday, allowing one run and five hits over six innings.
He has posted a 3.18 ERA in three outings this month after going 1-4 with a 6.46 ERA in four starts in August.
The Orioles have beaten Cook in both matchups this season, reaching the right-hander for 12 runs - eight earned - and 11 hits in eight innings.
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AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPS
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Robert Andino | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Wilson Betemit | 7 | .429 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .556 | 1.413 | .857 |
| Endy Chavez | 14 | .286 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .286 | .643 | .357 |
| Nick Johnson | 3 | .333 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 1.833 | 1.333 |
| Ronny Paulino | 3 | .667 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 1.334 | .667 |
| Mark Reynolds | 19 | .263 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | .348 | .927 | .579 |
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Marlon Byrd | 16 | .313 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | .353 | 1.291 | .938 |
| Jacoby Ellsbury | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .500 | .250 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 21 | .286 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | .318 | .604 | .286 |
| Rich Hill | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Darnell McDonald | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| David Ortiz | 3 | .667 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .800 | 1.467 | .667 |
| Dustin Pedroia | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .500 | .250 |
| Nick Punto | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Cody Ross | 14 | .214 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .267 | .481 | .214 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia | 9 | .333 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .300 | .633 | .333 |
| Kevin Youkilis | 5 | .600 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .600 | 1.400 | .800 |
 Baltimore Orioles |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 11, 2012 | Jason Hammel | Day-to-Day | Left game - right knee injury |
| September 09, 2012 | Nick Markakis | Day-to-Day | Broken left thumb |
| September 02, 2012 | Chris Tillman | Day-to-Day | Left game - stiff right elbow |
| August 22, 2012 | Matt Wieters | Day-to-Day | Left game - right shoulder contusion |
| August 13, 2012 | Troy Patton | 15-Day DL | Sprained right ankle |
| August 13, 2012 | Troy Patton | 15-Day DL | Sprained right ankle |
 Boston Red Sox |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 07, 2012 | Jarrod Saltalamacchia | Day-to-Day | Left game - back spasms |
| September 02, 2012 | Jacoby Ellsbury | Day-to-Day | Sore right wrist |
| August 25, 2012 | David Ortiz | 15-Day DL | Aggravated right Achilles strain |
| August 25, 2012 | Daniel Nava | 15-Day DL | Sprained left wrist |
| August 25, 2012 | Daniel Nava | 15-Day DL | Sprained left wrist |
| August 24, 2012 | Franklin Morales | 60-Day DL | Left shoulder fatigue |
BOSTON (AP) -- When a game goes into extra innings, the Baltimore Orioles have been almost unbeatable. When Jim Thome comes up in a big situation, his teammates are confident he'll deliver.
Thome did that Saturday, doubling in the go-ahead run in a 9-6 win in 12 innings over the Boston Red Sox that was Baltimore's 16th straight victory in games that reach overtime.
The 22-year veteran came through in his first game after nearly two months on the disabled list, enabling the Orioles to remain one game behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East. They lead the Oakland Athletics by two games for the league's No. 1 wild-card berth.
"This situation is not new to him," said Adam Jones , who doubled and scored on Thome's hit. "He's missed some time, but stepping into that box ... he always rises to the occasion."
Just as the Orioles rise to the challenge of extra-inning games. Their winning streak in those games is the best in the majors since the Cleveland Indians won 17 straight in 1949. The Orioles are 16-2 in extras this year, losing only to the Yankees on April 10-11.
"We've had so much experience at it there's not some sense of panic," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said.
The Orioles won their sixth in a row overall.
Thome had two homers, six RBIs and 10 walks in 18 games after being acquired from Philadelphia on July 1 before going on the disabled list from July 31 until Friday with a herniated disc in his neck.
"These guys have been playing very well and to come in and get a big hit like that is big," he said. "You want to be a part of what they're doing and I think that's what makes you work hard when you're down (in the minors) because you really don't know when you're on rehab how the process is going to go. So being here and being in this atmosphere, you enjoy every minute of it."
Thome was having a rough day in his first appearance since July 27, and was 0 for 5 with a double play and two strikeouts. But the slugger gave Baltimore a 7-6 lead with his ground-rule double off Alfredo Aceves (2-10). Endy Chavez and Manny Machado added RBI singles to pad the lead.
"The game is a weird game. That's what makes it so fun," Thome said. "You can be 0 for 5 and continue to be positive and keep battling and you get a big hit like that."
Tommy Hunter (6-8) pitched a perfect 11th and Jim Johnson finished to extend his franchise record to 47 saves. He's blown just three.
Jones earlier hit his 31st home run.
The Red Sox are 0-7 in extra-inning games at home.
"At the end of the season, the teams that you see go into the playoffs pull out the extra-inning games," Boston's Cody Ross said. "We just haven't been able to do that this year."
Their lineup Saturday had seven players, including starter Aaron Cook , who spent time in the minors this year.
"When you don't have the firepower for the big hit," Boston manager Bobby Valentine said, "the guys came up short."
Trailing 6-3, the Red Sox tied the game with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth.
In the seventh, they loaded the bases with no outs against Jake Arrieta on a double by Scott Podsednik , a walk to Pedro Ciriaco and an infield single by Dustin Pedroia . Ross and Ryan Lavarnway each drove in a run when they grounded into forceouts.
Pedro Strop relieved to start the bottom of the eighth and retired the first two batters. But Daniel Nava and Podsednik followed with consecutive doubles, tying it at 6.
The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first when Nate McLouth led off with a walk, stole second, moved up on a groundout and scored on a grounder by Jones. The Red Sox tied it in the bottom half on a ground-rule double by Pedroia and a single by Lavarnway.
Baltimore made it 2-1 in the second on an RBI single by Machado then added a run in the fourth on a leadoff homer by Mark Reynolds , his 22nd of the year.
Boston tied it in the bottom half of the fourth on a leadoff single by Mike Aviles and Danny Valencia 's first homer since the Red Sox acquired him from the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 5. It was his third of the season.
The Orioles went back on top 5-3 in the sixth on a two-run triple by Ryan Flaherty , starting for second baseman Robert Andino , who was in uniform but didn't play after being hit on the left ear flap of his helmet by a pitch in the ninth inning of Baltimore's 4-2 win on Friday night. Results of a CAT scan were negative and Showalter said that, pending results of other tests, he might play Sunday.
Jones made it 6-3 in the seventh with his homer.
"I'm tired of playing extra-inning games, to be honest with you," Jones said, "but, hey, we're not quitting `til that last out is made, and if we need 13, 14 15, up to 18 innings to do the job, then I guess that's just what we have to do."
NOTES: Three of the Orioles last four games have gone extra innings, wins at Seattle of 4-2 in 18 innings and 3-1 in 11 before opening the series in Boston. .... The three Red Sox in the lineup who haven't been in the minors this year were Aviles, Pedroia and Ross. ... Cook had won his previous start after going 0-5 in six before that. ... Cook had allowed just one stolen base, the fewest among AL pitchers with at least 80 innings, before McLouth stole second in the first. ... Chris Tillman (8-2) pitches for Baltimore against Felix Doubront (11-9) in Sunday's finale of the three-game series.
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Baltimore Orioles