Red Sox hit three homers, including go-ahead shot by Youkilis, to beat Orioles 6-5

Youkilis homer lifts Red Sox over Orioles 6-5

BALTIMORE — Kevin Youkilis put Boston ahead with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury also connected to help the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 Friday night.

Ortiz has two home runs in two games since it was disclosed that he was on the list of more than 100 major leaguers who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

John Smoltz (2-4) earned his second victory in seven starts for Boston despite allowing five runs and eight hits in six innings. The 42-year-old was 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two previous appearances against Baltimore this season.

Jonathan Papelbon worked the ninth for his 27th save. He has converted 23 of 24 career save opportunities against the Orioles.

The Red Sox had a busy day before they even got on the field. In two deals completed just before the non-waiver trade deadline, Boston obtained slugger Victor Martinez from Cleveland and Casey Kotchman from Atlanta.

Nolan Reimold and Aubrey Huff homered for Baltimore. Huff’s was the 200th of his career, a sixth-inning drive with a man on that put the Orioles in front 5-4.

Youkilis wiped out the deficit in the next inning, hitting a 2-1 pitch from Jeremy Guthrie (7-10) into the left-field seats after Ellsbury singled.

Ellsbury had three hits and made a sensational leaping catch at the center-field wall in the sixth inning to rob Luke Scott of a home run. Youkilis also had three hits.

Guthrie yielded all three Boston homers, upping his AL-leading total to 26. The right-hander gave up six runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Boston loaded the bases with no outs in the second but got only one run, on a sacrifice fly by Nick Green. Ortiz made it 3-0 in the third, hitting a shot to right on a 3-0 pitch after a single by Youkilis.

In the bottom half, the Orioles got a run on a throwing error by Green at shortstop before Reimold hit a two-run homer. The drive, which hit the top of 25-foot wall in right field, was confirmed to be a home run after a review by the umpire crew.

Ellsbury put the Red Sox up 4-3 by leading off the fifth with his sixth homer.

Notes: The Red Sox ended a five-game road skid. … Baltimore went 9-16 in July, their worst month of the season. … Ellsbury took over the team lead in multihit games (36). … Summoned from Double-A Portland before the game, Boston’s Josh Reddick grounded out in his first major league at bat. … Boston is 12-2 against Baltimore since Sept. 1, 2008.