Orioles 3, Red Sox 1 (6 innings)

WP: Daniel Cabrera (7-7)
LP: David Wells (6-5)
S: Tim Byrdak (1)

Although the box score says that Tim Byrdak got the save in the Orioles' crucial 3-1 win over Boston last night, it could have been credited to the rain. (How does that look in a box score, though? W: Daniel Cabrera 7-7, L: David Wells 6-5, S: The Rain 1.)

Six innings were completed in rainfall ranging from a light sprinkle to a steady rain, and the umpires decided that it was too wet to begin play in the seventh inning. The game was called after an hour delay, giving the Orioles a much needed win.

After falling behind 1-0 in the third on a Cabrera wild pitch that scored Mark Bellhorn, the Orioles came back in the bottom half with power. Eli Marrero hit his seventh homer of the year to lead off the inning and tie the game, and Melvin Mora hit his 15th to give the Orioles the lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sammy Sosa added an insurance run with an RBI single that scored Miguel Tejada. It was Sosa's first RBI since June 19.

Cabrera had his second straight effective outing for the Orioles, despite being wild at times. He gave up only three hits and struck out eight Red Sox batters, but he walked five, hit a batter, and threw two wild pitches. The start dropped Cabrera's ERA under five for the first time since his May 20 start against the Phillies. His ERA now stands at 4.90.

It was the Orioles' first win since the last time Cabrera started, a 4-0 win over Cleveland on July 2.

Before the game, B.J. Surhoff was activated off the disabled list and David Newhan was sent down to Ottawa to make room.