BALTIMORE -- The suspension of relief pitcher Brian Matusz has left the Baltimore Orioles one man short in the bullpen until Sunday. Baltimore's pitching situation grew even tougher when starter Miguel Gonzalez left with a right groin strain in the fifth inning on Tuesday night.

But the bullpen came through as three pitchers combined to throw 4 2/3 shutout innings, and Steve Pearce scored on a wild pitch from Boston right-hander Matt Barnes in the seventh inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 victory over the Red Sox.

Gonzalez left after 4 1/3 innings after feeling discomfort in the groin that's bothered him in the past. Orioles manager Buck Showalter then maneuvered through the rest of the game thanks to left-hander T.J. McFarland (1 2/3 innings), right-hander Chaz Roe (1 1/3) and left-hander Zach Britton (1 2/3).

The Red Sox suffered a big early loss of their own when left fielder Hanley Ramirez fouled a pitch right off his left knee in the third and eventually left the game.

Ramirez stayed down for a while and completed the at-bat, drawing a walk, but right fielder Rusney Castillo then replaced him as a pinch runner. The team announced that Ramirez sustained a bruise where he fouled off the pitch, and manager John Farrell said later that X-rays were negative with no structural damage.

For the Orioles, Roe (1-0) earned his first American League victory -- and second in the majors. Britton posted his 16th save as Baltimore (27-30) won for the fourth time in five games and stopped Boston's three-game winning streak.

"With a six-man 'pen, we have to approach things a little differently now until we get full,” Showalter said. "A little different dynamic of trying to put it together each night. That's part of the penalty you get for having somebody suspended."

Britton may have faced the toughest task, coming in for Roe with runners on first and second and one out in the eighth. Castillo tried to sacrifice for Boston against Roe with two on and none out, but Orioles catcher Matt Wieters pounced and made a great throw to third for a force play.

That's when Britton entered. He escaped that jam by striking out designated hitter David Ortiz and first baseman Mike Napoli.

The left-hander retired Boston in the ninth to finish his 16th save, throwing 28 pitches in 1 2/3 innings and giving the Orioles a big victory.

"We are trying to get on a roll, win some games and get out of the dungeon, so to speak, in the standings a little bit,” Britton said. "We are playing good ball right now. Offense is scoring just enough runs, and we are pitching the way we are capable of pitching -- so those are good things.”

The Orioles and Red Sox (27-32) each missed on scoring chances throughout the first six innings before Baltimore finally broke through in the seventh.

Barnes entered after left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez blanked the Orioles for six innings. Pearce greeted Barnes with a leadoff double off the wall in right and went to third when shortstop J.J. Hardy followed with a soft single to center.

With second baseman Ryan Flaherty up, Barnes then threw a wild pitch that bounced past catcher Blake Swihart and let Pearce score easily from third for the 1-0 lead.

The Red Sox finished the game 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.

"We had some opportunities,” Farrell said. "The two-out base hit wasn't there. They matched up from the fifth inning on. Eddie led the way, gave us every opportunity to win this ballgame.”

Rodriguez turned in another spectacular effort in just his third major league start. He gave up only three hits in six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and three walks against the team that traded him to the Red Sox last summer.

He's now allowed only one run in 20 2/3 innings so far.

"I just keep going, working hard,” Rodriguez said. "I