Red Sox top O's, climb back to .500

By DAVID GINSBURG

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 3:16 p.m. ET May 23, 2012

BALTIMORE (AP) - Daniel Nava and Kelly Shoppach hit sixth-inning homers to turn a tie game in Boston's favor, and the Red Sox withstood two home runs by Nick Johnson in a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Scott Podsednik also homered for the Red Sox, who climbed back to .500 (22-22) with their 10th win in 13 games. Boston took two of three from the Orioles, who were seeking to win a fourth straight series against the Red Sox for the first time since 1960.

It was 2-all in the sixth before Nava, the No. 7 hitter in the order, drove a 2-0 pitch from Jake Arreita (2-5) over the right-field wall. Podsednik followed with a single, and No. 9 hitter Shoppach greeted Luis Ayala with a drive to left.

Nava and Shoppach each doubled his home run total for the season; the pair also connected on May 14 against Seattle.

Johnson's second homer of the game, against Andrew Miller with a man on in the sixth, got Baltimore to 5-4. But Podsednik hit a solo shot in the eighth for a two-run cushion.

Acquired from Philadelphia on May 11 and summoned from Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, Podsednik got two hits in his first start with Boston.

Wilson Betemit hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth off Vicente Padilla, and Alfredo Aceves got four straight outs for his 11th save in 13 chances.

Red Sox starter Daniel Bard (4-5) allowed two runs, five hits and four walks in 5 1-3 innings.

Johnson's first multihomer game since May 28, 2006, was not enough to prevent the first-place Orioles from losing for the third time in four games. With the potential tying run on second base in the eighth, Johnson ended the inning with a strikeout.

Arrieta gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. He's winless in four starts since May 2.

Baltimore used the speed of leadoff hitter Xavier Avery to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Avery beat out a chopper in front of the plate, went to second on a single by Robert Andino and worked his way home by tagging up on two short fly balls, the last by Chris Davis.

Boston loaded the bases with no outs in the second but scored only one run, on a double-play grounder by Podsednik.

Johnson hit a drive into the right-field seats to start the bottom half, only the third home run allowed by Bard in eight starts this season.

Boston tied it at 2 in the third on a run-scoring double by Will Middlebrooks, but Kevin Youkilis was thrown out trying to score from first base on the two-out hit.

NOTES: Both teams have Thursday off after playing 20 straight days without a break. Boston went 11-9. "I couldn't be more happy with the way the guys have reacted to all this stuff - the schedule, the travel, the injuries, the weather," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said before the game. Baltimore went 12-8 over the same stretch. ... Orioles LHP Zach Britton (shoulder) is set to begin his minor league rehabilitation assignment Saturday with Double-A Bowie. ... Baltimore's Adam Jones extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games. ... RHP Dylan Bundy, the Orioles' top amateur draft pick in 2011, was promoted to Class A Frederick from Class A Delmarva, where he went eight starts without giving up an earned run.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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