Kris Benson

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox seemed a team on the ropes as they returned home to face the Orioles. The one-time first-place club had dropped five straight to the lowly Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Kansas City Royals. The Orioles hoped to spoil Boston's season further behind surging rookie Adam Loewen. Orioles@Red Sox Today, 1:20 p.m., Ch. 45, 1090 AM Starters: Orioles' Kris Benson (9-9, 4.71) vs. Red Sox's Jason Johnson (3-11, 5.96)

The momentum and excitement that resided on the home team's side after Nick Markakis' three home runs Tuesday night started to dissipate in the first inning last night. Four of the first five Minnesota Twins to face Rodrigo Lopez got hits and two of them scored. Over the next five innings, the Twins would continue their assault on Lopez, getting intensely familiar with the base paths at Camden Yards. Twins@Orioles Tonight, 7:05, Comcast SportsNet, 1090 AM Starters: Twins' Boof Bonser (2-4, 5.51)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- No matter how poorly he has pitched - and there is no getting away from the fact that he has had a disappointing season - Rodrigo Lopez never wants to come out of a game. His stuff has never been considered overpowering, but teammates and club officials have long admired Lopez's competitiveness, how he takes the ball and never wants to give it up, regardless of how tight the situation is. It was no different last night when Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo came to the mound to get him with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning.

DETROIT -- If Kris Benson feels the frustration, it doesn't show, at least not in front of his teammates or the media. He shrugs his shoulders when he is questioned about his hard luck, as if to ask, "What can I do about it?" The answer, of course, is nothing, unless Benson feels like returning to his National League roots and picking up a bat. Why not give it a try? Nobody else in an Orioles uniform seems capable of getting a clutch hit when he is on the mound, anyway. Orioles@Tigers Today, 1:05 p.m., Ch. 54, 1090 AM Starters: Orioles' Daniel Cabrera (7-10, 4.84)

NEW YORK -- Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo had been contemplating granting Rodrigo Lopez another start before the season was over to give the pitcher a shot at his 10th win. Call it a reward for Lopez's toughness during the most trying season of his career. Perlozzo did the next closest thing last night at Yankee Stadium, inserting Lopez into a tie game after a back injury forced starter Hayden Penn off the mound. Orioles@Yankees Tonight, 7:05, Comcast SportsNet, 1090 AM Starters: Orioles' Kris Benson (11-11, 4.49)

ALL GAMES ON 105.7 FM Mon @Rangers, 8:05 p.m., MASN Starters: Koji Uehara (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Rangers' Vicente Padilla (1-0, 4.76) Tue @Rangers, 8:05 p.m., MASN Starters: Alfredo Simon (0-1, 7.20) vs.Rangers' Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 5.40) Wed @Rangers, 8:05 p.m., MASN2 Starters: Mark Hendrickson (1-0, 1.69) vs.Rangers' Kris Benson (0-1, 12.60) Fri @Red Sox, 7:10 p.m., MASN Starters: Jeremy Guthrie (2-0, 2.25) vs. Red Sox's Brad Penny (1-0, 4.50) Sat @Red Sox, 7:10 p.m., MASN Starters: Adam Eaton (0-1, 9.00)

orioles@rangers scouting report Texas blew a four-run eighth-inning lead against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday to suffer a three-game sweep. Second baseman and leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler has gotten off to a hot start with two homers, eight RBIs and a .348 batting average. All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton hit his first homer Sunday. When Wednesday's starter, Kris Benson, pitched for the Rangers on Friday, it was his first major league appearance since he started 30 games for the Orioles in 2006.

Ramon Hernandez stood stock still and flipped his bat aside, confident that he had just become the Orioles' second ninth-inning hero in as many nights. But as the ball arced toward the left-field wall, manager Sam Perlozzo had his doubts. Friday night's back-and-forth affair with the Los Angeles Angels had been so crazy that he wouldn't have been shocked if Hernandez's blast had fallen short. Angels@Orioles Today, 1:35 p.m., Comcast SportsNet, 1090 AM Starters: Angels' John Lackey (1-1, 5.73)

NEW YORK -- In a span of 48 hours, a major role reversal took place. Suddenly, it was the New York Yankees who struggled to throw strikes, get a clutch hit or even field an infield pop-up. The Orioles, expected to be mere speed bumps for New York on its way to more important matters this weekend, have rarely enjoyed such good fortune at Yankee Stadium. Blue Jays@Orioles Tonight, 7:05, Comcast SportsNet, 1090 AM Starters: Blue Jays' Scott Downs (6-1, 4.03) vs. Orioles' Kris Benson (9-9, 4.74)

Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo has learned to love the way his portly reliever, Chris Britton, seizes the ball night after night and peppers the plate without fear. Britton hadn't surrendered a run since being recalled from Double-A Bowie on May 15. But a few hours after Perlozzo praised the rookie to reporters last night, one of Britton's strikes met the bat of Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Alex Rios and sailed into the left-field stands. Blue Jays@Orioles Tonight, 7:05, Comcast SportsNet, 1090 AM Starters: Blue Jays' Casey Janssen (4-3, 3.26)