Thanks to Jacoby Ellsbury and the pitching staff, the Red Sox are going into Thursday’s off-day on a high note.
Ellsbury homered twice and Andrew Miller, Matt Albers, Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon combined for a two-hitter as Boston topped the Orioles 4-0 in Baltimore.
Miller (4-1) threw 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two hits and six walks and striking out three. He lowered his season ERA to 4.65. Albers, Bard and Papelbon combined for 3 1/3 perfect innings.
Some good fortune saved Miller in the bottom of the second, after he walked three consecutive Baltimore batters. But catcher Craig Tatum grounded into a double play, ending the threat.
Ellsbury socked solo homers in the third and seventh. Carl Crawford (2-for-3) and Jason Varitek (1-for-4) also drove in runs.
Adrian Gonzalez went 4-for-5, raising his batting average to .343. The red-hot Josh Reddick went 2-for-3; he’s now hitting .378.
Jake Arrieta (9-7) picked up the loss despite a statistical quality start.
The Sox are off Thursday, then return home to face the Mariners on Friday (7:10 p.m., NESN, WEEI).
