Red Sox

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine.   Running it back: The Orioles quietly packed their belongings Sunday afternoon and dispersed to various parts of the country after another loss to the Red Sox extended their losing streak to seven games . ... The contentious four-game series in Boston ended with four more ejections and manager Buck Showalter criticizing the umpires.

Chris Davis hadn't thrown a pitch in nearly six years, dating to his days as a draft hopeful playing at a small junior college in Corsicana, Texas. But more than five hours - and 15 innings - into the Orioles' series finale with the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon-turned-evening, manager Buck Showalter turned to Davis, the club's everyday first baseman, in the visiting dugout and directed him toward the bullpen to warm up. The Orioles had exhausted all other relief options - eight relievers combined to allowed one run over seven innings - in a game tied at 6. Davis shrugged.

ManagerJoe Morgan (217-184 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Red Sox).1990 record88-74, first place, 2 games ahead.1990 offensive leadersBA: Wade Boggs ... ... ... .302HR: Ellis Burks... ... ... . 21RBI: Ellis Burks.. ... ... . 89SB: Ellis Burks... ... ... .. 9@1990 pitching leadersWins: Roger Clemens......... 21ERA: Roger Clemens........ 1.93

Outfielder Tom Brunansky's value to the Boston Red Sox grows every day.In addition to his three-run homer that lifted the Red Sox over Milwaukee last night, 10-6, check out these career Fenway stats:In 117 games, Brunansky is hitting .319 (with a slugging percentage of .608) with 28 home runs and 92 RBIs. Last night's home run was his seventh of the year and he leads the team with 27 RBIs."Maybe that's why they kept me," he said.

Any high school coach who wants to reinforce to his team the importance of never giving up can use the Boston Red Sox's performance Thursday night as an ideal example. A big key to this valuable lesson is the fact that the Red Sox had been in the situation before and found a way to succeed. Earlier this season, the South River girls soccer team came back to win after yielding a late goal to Severna Park. Should the Seahawks ever trail by a goal late, they know they can win because they have done it before.

Scouting report: O's at Red Sox Day Time TV Starters Tonight 7:05 Ch. 54 John Maine (1-1, 2.70) vs. Lenny DiNardo (0-0, 10.80) Tomorrow 7:05 Ch. 54 Erik Bedard (6-5, 3.42) vs. Matt Clement (12-3, 4.27) Sunday 2:05 Ch. 54 Rodrigo Lopez (13-8, 4.85) vs. David Wells (11-6, 4.44) Radio: All games on 1090 AM Red Sox update The Red Sox are 6-1 on their current homestand after last night's 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. They have won 19 of their past 20 at Fenway, including 14 in a row at one point, and are 44-19 at home, the best record in the majors.

Reimold still hot For the second time in two days, outfield prospect Nolan Reimold hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to help the Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox. Yesterday in Fort Myers, Fla., his shot to left-center field against Billy Traber broke a tie. Reimold, who hit 25 homers at Double-A Bowie last season, is likely headed to Triple-A Norfolk to start the season. A spring nemesis The Orioles might be just 15-29 against the Red Sox in the past three regular seasons, but Boston shouldn't trifle with the Orioles in the spring.