Another Rookie Leads Boston Over O's Again

BOSTON, Sept. 2 -- Jacoby Ellsbury did everything on Sunday, one day after another Red Sox rookie pitched a no-hitter. He even fixed the scoreboard.

Ellsbury hit his first career homer, made a diving catch while racing in and stole a base as Boston avoided a letdown after Clay Buchholz's masterpiece and beat the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2.

Boston increased its lead in the AL East to six games over the New York Yankees, who lost to Tampa Bay.

The 23-year-old center fielder played maintenance man in the sixth inning, hanging a number back up on the mechanical scoreboard in left after another rookie, Boston left fielder Brandon Moss, knocked it off when he smacked into the wall making a catch in the gap on a drive by Nick Markakis.

"If they make me do it again, I can do it," Ellsbury said. "I just checked my phone. My buddies were laughing at that more than anything."

Ellsbury and Buchholz were called up from Class AAA Pawtucket on Saturday when teams could expand their rosters. Rookie Dustin Pedroia has been the regular second baseman all season and made another diving stop behind second base and threw out a runner -- just like he did to preserve Buchholz's no-hitter in the seventh.

Two pitchers who were rookies last season, Jon Lester (3-0) and Jonathan Papelbon, who got his 31st save in 33 chances, held the Orioles in check. Lester pitched six strong innings and Papelbon retired the side in order in the ninth.

"We talk for a few years now how our biggest organizational challenge is to develop players who can come up and contribute during a pennant race," General Manager Theo Epstein said. "We saw a little bit of that this weekend."

Pedroia went 2 for 4 and was 8 for 14 in the series.