(Sports Network) - The Baltimore Orioles have an opportunity for a rare sweep of a depleted Boston Red Sox squad when the two American League East foes play the finale of a two-game set this afternoon at Camden Yards.

Baltimore drew first blood in this series and recorded its fourth victory in its last five games by edging the Red Sox by a 5-4 count on Tuesday. Luke Scott belted a go-ahead three-run homer in the third inning and the Orioles roughed up Boston ace Josh Beckett to hand the slumping Sox another loss.

Scott finished 3-for-4 and O's starter Jeremy Guthrie (2-3) overcame a shaky beginning to notch his first home win since June 27 of last season. The right- hander gave up three first-inning runs -- two earned -- and eight hits total over six-plus frames of work.

Beckett (4-3) lasted only 5 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on 11 hits and two walks. He did strike out five in the loss.

Boston is in the midst of a mini-slump, having lost five of its last seven and going 4-5 thus far on a current 10-game road trip. The Red Sox slid out of first place for the first time since May 1, as the defending world champs fell a half-game back of Tampa Bay after the Rays beat the Yankees in 11 innings on Tuesday.

The Red Sox played Tuesday's contest without manager Terry Francona, who left the team due to the death of his mother-in-law and will miss today's tilt as well. In addition, outfielders J.D. Drew and Coco Crisp both had to leave last night's game with injuries.

Drew sprained his left wrist while diving for a ball in the outfield and is not likely to play today. Crisp was removed due to an upset stomach, and his status for the finale is in question.

Baltimore was also without some regulars on Tuesday, as third baseman Melvin Mora (sore shoulder) and catcher Ramon Hernandez (sprained left wrist) both missed the series opener and are doubtful to return this afternoon.

Tuesday's victory was only the Orioles' second in their last seven encounters with Boston, which is 32-10 over its last 42 meetings with Baltimore and amassed an impressive 16-6 record at Camden Yards during that stretch.

Today's starter for Baltimore, Daniel Cabrera, has also endured his share of hard times when facing the Red Sox. The erratic right-hander has suffered the loss in each of his last seven matchups with Boston and owns a woeful 1-9 record and a 7.84 earned run average in 11 lifetime starts against the Red Sox.

Cabrera enters today's showdown on one of the best stretches of his career, however. The towering Dominican has won three of his last four decisions and yielded two or less runs in five of his most seven mound trips, while displaying surprisingly good control most of the time.

The 26-year-old was outstanding in Thursday's start at Kansas City, where Cabrera went the distance on a three-hitter and struck out a season-high seven Royals in Baltimore's 4-1 victory.

Jon Lester will toe the rubber for the Red Sox and aims to rebound from a mediocre showing Friday in Minnesota. The young lefty was touched for five runs (3 earned) on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings against the Twins and received a no-decision in an eventual 7-6 Boston loss.

Lester had been pitching extremely well prior to that outing. He yielded a run on four hits through six innings to defeat Tampa Bay on May 4, five days before twirling eight shutout frames in a no-decision versus Toronto.

The 24-year-old has won all three of his career starts against Baltimore and pitched to a 3.00 ERA in those games. In his lone previous appearance at Camden Yards, Lester spun seven scoreless innings to defeat Cabrera and the Orioles on September 7 of last season.