NEWS » on, although U.S. middleweight Clares

BALTIMORE -- As the Boston Red Sox steamroll their way toward the AL East crown, the Baltimore Orioles have turned their full attention toward the wild card race.David Price won his eighth straight decision, Hanley Ramirez homered and the Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the sinking Orioles with a 5-3 victory Thursday night.Boston has won eight straight to open a 5 1/2-game lead over idle Toronto in the AL East. With 13 victories in their last 16 games, the Red Sox have a magic number of five to clinch the division crown.Thats the Red Sox, Ramirez said. They know that you can chase something, want something, and well go right after it. The good thing about this team is just everybodys together, and weve got everything.Baltimore fell seven games out and dropped below Detroit for the second AL wild card. It was the first time since 2002 that the Orioles were swept at home by Boston in a four-game series.I think youve got be realistic about where we are at this point after losing four, closer Zach Britton said. Its kind of time to light a fire under our butt because those other teams playing for the wild card are right there.Britton pitched the ninth for the Orioles, but never had a save opportunity during the four-game series.We should be playing better ball than what we showed, he said. But give them credit, too. When theyve got everything rolling theyre a tough team to beat -- just like we are. But right now everythings not really clicking for us.Price (17-8) gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings, walking two and striking out five. The Red Sox have won each of his last nine starts since Aug. 7.That was a big win, the left-hander said. Weve played good baseball, and this is the time of the year when you want your team to get on a roll the way we have, and thats what weve done.Koji Uehara worked the eighth, and Craig Kimbrel got three straight outs for his 29th save in 31 chances.Baltimore trailed 3-0 before Trey Mancini, starting his second major league game, hit a tying three-run homer in the third inning. It was his second home run in six at-bats.At the moment, its just an unbelievable experience, the rookie said. But on the flip side, after a loss like that, you dont really think about the home run so much. It really doesnt matter.Boston used a walk, a wild pitch and Andrew Benintendis two-out RBI single off Vance Worley (2-2) to move back in front in the fifth.Ramirez hit his 29th homer in the seventh to make it 5-3 and send the Red Sox to their eighth straight win over an AL East foe, their longest such run since 1990.Orioles starter Chris Tillman gave up three runs, five hits and walked three in 1 2/3 innings, his shortest outing since June 2015.Boston got a first-inning RBI single from Ramirez and added two runs in the second, the last on a bases-loaded walk to David Ortiz that ended Tillmans outing.A here-we-go-again pall engulfed Orioles fans in the crowd of 26,788, but their spirits were rekindled when Mancini lined a 2-2 pitch into the seats in left field. The standing ovation continued until Price threw his next pitch.ORTIZ FAREWELLIn a ceremony before his final regular-season game in Baltimore, Ortiz was given the phone he smashed inside the visitors dugout during a tirade on July 27, 2013.Wearing a huge grin, Baltimore center fielder Adam Jones handed Ortiz the shattered phone, which was mounted on a wooden frame.Ortiz also received a $10,000 check, made out to a charity in his name. He took the check to the dugout but left the phone on the field.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: RHP Steven Wright (shoulder) threw from 60 feet on Thursday and was scheduled to throw from 120 feet on Friday. ... LHP Henry Owens threw five innings in the Instructional League to stay sharp and was set to rejoin the Red Sox on Friday.Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman will have his next start delayed after experiencing discomfort near his rib cage. Dylan Bundy will start Sunday against Arizona, and the Orioles hope Gausman can pitch Tuesday or Wednesday in Toronto. ... LHP Jayson Aquino was unavailable because of a viral infection.UP NEXTRed Sox: Winless in his last five starts, Drew Pomeranz (2-5, 4.91 ERA) faces the Rays in the start of a three-game series.Orioles: Yovani Gallardo (5-8, 5.77) starts Friday against Arizona, which hopes to play spoiler behind struggling right-hander Shelby Miller (2-12, 6.90).Rickard Rakell Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Ryan Getzlaf Ducks Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. http://www.authenticduckspro.com/Giovanni-fiore-ducks-jersey/ .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Paul Kariya Ducks Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. John Gibson Jersey . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement.RIO DE JANEIRO -- Robeisy Ramirez and Shakur Stevenson are two of the top talents in the entire Olympic boxing tournament, and their bantamweight championship bout produced three rounds of tantalizing action.When Ramirezs hand was raised afterward, Cuba had another two-time gold medalist.Stevenson left the ring in uncontrollable tears, but also with a silver medal and a bottomless source of motivation for his upcoming pro career.Ramirez claimed a split decision over the American bantamweight Saturday, celebrating with a standing backflip in the ring after a remarkable run in Rio de Janeiro.Hes young, and he has big promise for boxing, the 22-year-old Ramirez said. It was hard to fight against him.Nicola Adams also claimed her second Olympic gold for Britain, defending her London flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Frances Sarah Ourahmoune.Middleweight Arlen Lopez capped the session by claiming Cubas third gold and sixth overall medal in Rio, beating Uzbekistans Bektemir Melikuziev with a stellar performance in a unanimous decision.Ramirez and Stevenson put on a high-level exhibition for the crowd at Riocentro Pavilion 6, showing off athleticism and sophisticated boxing skill for three perilous rounds.Ramirez backed up his flyweight gold medal from the London Olympics by moving up in weight and winning perhaps the most talented division in the Rio Games.Stevenson was distraught after the first loss of his international career. Coach Kay Koroma and the fighters family rallied around him for comfort, and Stevenson eventually gathered himself for the medal ceremony.Stevenson was honest and sportsmanlike in defeat, saying he definitely didnt think he won.First round, he got, Stevenson said. Second round, I got. Third round, he came and did what he was supposed to do. I had a game plan to try and outbox him the last round because I knew he was going to come forward. It didnt work. I didnt feel like it was my best performance.Ramirez was aggressive in the third round, particularly in the final minute. Stevenson landed a flurry at the bell, but two of the three judges awarded the third to Ramirez.Ramirez fought four times to reach the gold-medal bout, while Stevenson only fought twice affter an opening bye and a walkover.dddddddddddd.The victory capped a cycle of redemption for Ramirez, who was kicked off the Cuban national team in 2014 for repeatedly neglecting his training. He then failed to receive a first-round bye in Rio, forcing him to take a long road through a talented bracket.I kept thinking about all the people that supported me to get here, Ramirez said. My family, my wife, my friends. They supported me not only through the good moments but the bad. When I had to take a year off, that gave me time to mature and think about what I wanted to do. That is boxing.Ramirez and Stevenson could be rivals for years if Ramirez elects to go pro outside Cuba. The thought already came to Stevenson after he stopped sobbing and began to contemplate his upcoming pro career.Congratulations to him, Stevenson said. He had a better third round. But hopefully we get to meet down the line in the pros.Ramirez said he will be focused on winning a third or fourth gold medal, but his past conflicts with the Cuban team have made some promoters hopeful that he might try the pros eventually.Adams completed her comfortable run through the flyweight bracket with another exhibition of her skill. She survived a mid-fight charge from Ourahmoune to become the first two-time womens Olympic boxing champion, although U.S. middleweight Claressa Shields could join her Sunday.Adams became the world champion, European champion and Olympic champion all in one year.I wanted to create history, she said after crying on the medal stand. Theres definitely an air of fulfillment. Theres still a lot more that can be done. Id love to inspire some markets to get involved in boxing.Lopez, the middleweight world champion, closed the show with another remarkable effort against a top talent. He battered the 20-year-old Melikuziev with precise punches that eventually opened a cut on his eye.After starting his tournament with a percussive knockout, Lopez seemingly improved in each round before soundly outboxing Melikuziev, whose power and potential made him one of the Rio Games breakout stars. ' ' '