By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 14, 2007

BOSTON, May 13 -- Jeremy Guthrie could have focused only on the end result after the Baltimore Orioles' 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox and felt bitter disappointment. But "you can't look at it like that," he said. "I did get the results I wanted."

Guthrie came into Fenway Park and humbled the fiercest lineup in baseball for 8 1/3 innings, shutting out the Red Sox and allowing three hits. Considering his two starts after he replaced Adam Loewen, he may have transformed from a stop-gap to starter to a front-of-the-rotation stalwart. In three starts this season, he has a 1.03 ERA.

Against Boston, he dominated with fastballs that hovered around 95 mph, pounding the strike zone and painting corners. He needed only 18 pitches combined for the seventh and eighth innings.

His two most impressive encounters came late. In the sixth, in a rare jam with runners on first and second, he faced David Ortiz. He threw two strikes, then induced a 4-6-3 double play. His first batter in the seventh was Manny Ramirez, and Guthrie struck him out on three fastballs.

"As the game progressed you could see his confidence grow," Boston Manager Terry Francona said. "I don't think he threw a pitch in the middle of the plate the last four innings, so you're looking at velocity with movement out of the middle of the plate. I know he's not been starting a lot, but that's one of the better-pitched games we've seen in a long time."

Said Orioles closer Chris Ray: "He deserved to get the win."

Melvin Mora sat out because of a swollen left hand, which he suffered Saturday diving for a line drive. He iced his hand as he slept Saturday night, but had trouble gripping a bat. "I don't think I can hit a 99 mph fastball inside today," Mora said. "I can hit a knuckleball."

Aubrey Huff replaced him, making his first start of the year at third. Mora expects to play Monday. . . .

The Orioles activated Scott Williamson from the 15-day disabled list and placed John Leicester on the DL with a shoulder injury. . . .

The Orioles have lost 10 consecutive series to the Red Sox dating from 2005. "We have to show Boston we can beat them," Perlozzo said before the game. . . .

Miguel Tejada played in his 1,118th straight game, taking over fifth place on the all-time list.