Mussina Holds Off Red Sox in 6-1 Win

Mike Mussina figured if he held off the Boston Red Sox long enough, the Baltimore Orioles would find a way to win.

He was right.

The Orioles erased the Red Sox’s lead with two runs in the seventh inning Wednesday night and added four runs in the eighth to beat the Red Sox, 6-1.

“My job is to hang in there the best I could until we got the runs,” said Mussina (13-4), who won his fourth consecutive start, giving up four hits in eight innings. “Fortunately, we were able to break through and get the lead.”

The Orioles couldn’t do much against Bret Saberhagen (6-4), who took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning.

“Even in the seventh inning I was making pitches. They just got some hits,” said Saberhagen, who struck out one and walked none for the seventh time in his last 10 starts.

Mussina said he wasn’t bothered by an accident Tuesday in which his vehicle was rear-ended in Baltimore.

That was obvious.

He struck out three and walked two. In his last four starts, he has given up seven earned runs in 27 1/3 innings, a 2.30 earned-run average.