By Sean McAdam
CSNNE.com Red Sox InsiderFollow @sean_mcadam
BOSTON -- Different opponent, same old outcome.
Falling behind early once again, the Red Sox rallied but fell short against the Baltimore Orioles, dropping a 6-5 decision.
Trailing 6-2 in the fifth after the O's had shelled starter Kyle Weiland, the Sox got a run-scoring double from Adrian Gonzalez and a triple from Dustin Pedroia to score twice in the sixth, then added another run on an RBI single from Gonzalez.
But the Sox produced nothing in the final two innings against the Baltimore bullpen and lost for the third straight time and dropped to 4-14 in the month of September.
The defeat enabled the Tampa Bay Rays, who were idle Monday, to move to within a game and a half in the chase for the American League wild card.
Boston got four innings of shutout relief from Felix Doubront and Alfredo Aceves, but the six runs off Weiland -- five of them earned -- proved too much of an obstacle.
Weiland has now made five starts -- three against the Orioles -- and has yet to win. He wasn't helped by some spotty defense, with Darnell McDonald misplaying two balls in the two-run third inning.
Boston Red Sox
STAR OF THE GAME: Nolan Reimold
Reimold was one of two Orioles with two hits (J.J. Hardy was the other) and one of two O's with two RBI (Matt Angle).
He singled with one out in the third to kick-start the two-run third and added a solo homer in the third as the O's raced out to a 5-1 lead.
HONORABLE MENTION: Jeremy Guthrie
Guthrie may have 17 losses, but that's a function of his team and not his performance. Guthrie showed he's capable of keeping his club in the game with six innings in which he allowed four runs.
That may not qualify as a quality start, but it's better than the Red Sox have been getting down the stretch. And, though he had some help from the umpires, Guthrie showed some toughness by stranding runners on third base in both the fourth and fifth innings.
GOAT OF THE GAME: Kyle Weiland
Perhaps the Red Sox are asking too much of Weiland, but the fact remains that he's now winless in his five major league starts and has only pitched past the fifth once.
Monday was no different as Weiland, who was charged with five earned runs in 4 23 innings.
TURNING POINT: In the fifth, with the Sox having scored twice already, David Ortiz appared to have drilled a double down the right field line, which would have brought the Sox to within a run and put the tying run in scoring position.
But first base umpire Mike Winters (incorrectly) ruled the ball was foul and Ortiz eventually flied out to the warning track in center, stranding Dustin Pedroia.
BY THE NUMBERS: The win was the Orioles' first at Fenway this season.
QUOTE OF NOTE: "We need to pitch better, hit better, play better 'D' - we need to do everything better. When you're losing, you can point fingers at everybody.'' -- Dustin Pedroia.
Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam