09:13 AM EDT on Thursday, July 29, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo Red Sox' David Ortiz celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning last night. It was Boston's lone run in a 4-1 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards.

BALTIMORE -- David Oritz finally got a chance to present his side of the story yesterday.

Ortiz, Red Sox executive Mike Port and a lawyer from the Players Association met with Major League Baseball executives John McHale Jr. and Bob Watson for several hours in a conference room at the Camden Yards warehouse offices yesterday morning, presenting Ortiz's appeal of his five-game suspension stemming from the July 16 game in Anaheim.

In that game, Ortiz was ejected for arguing a called third strike, then had to be pulled away from home plate umpire Matt Hollowell. After reaching the dugout, Ortiz then fired two bats in the direction of home plate.

The Sox are hoping that Ortiz gets his penalty reduced by a game or two. Though McHale didn't give Ortiz a timetable, the Sox are figuring they will likely get word by tomorrow on the appeal, at which point Ortiz will have to begin serving the sentence.

While in town, Watson offered no word on upcoming suspensions stemming from Saturday's altercation with the Yankees. Jason Varitek is certain to be given a suspension -- probably for three games -- while Gabe Kapler, Ortiz and Trot Nixon are at risk as well.

The Sox have been amused by Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez's recent comments in which he's painted himself as a victim.

"It didn't look like that to me," said manager Terry Francona. "Just go back and watch (the tape). The tape tells the story."

Williamson timetable

Scott Williamson threw on the side Tuesday and reported no problems with his elbow. Williamson's been sidelined since July 1 with a nerve impingement.

The plan is for him to pitch an inning today for Pawtucket at Syracuse, then probably rejoin the Sox in Minneapolis tomorrow.

Mark Malaska is the likely roster victim to make room for Williamson.

Martinez on the mend

Pedro Martinez reported slight improvement in his hip, where he felt a "pinch" Monday night on the muddy Camden Yards mound.

Martinez will skip a side session between starts so as to not further aggravate the hip. He's slated to pitch the final game of the series at Minnesota Sunday.

Around the bases

Nomar Garciaparra extended his hitting streak to nine games when he singled to center field in the fifth inning, the first Sox hit of the night off Baltimore starter Dave Borkowski . . . Kevin Millar went into last night with 13 RBI over his previous six games. That total represents more than half of Millar's total of 25, which he accumulated over the first 92 games of the season. Put another way, Millar had collected as many RBI in his previous six games as he had in a 46-game stretch which began May 23 . . . Baltimore improved to 7-4 this season against the Sox, with six wins in the last eight meetings . . . For only the fourth time in the major leagues this season, neither team issued a walk . . . Curt Schilling dropped to 5-5 3.62 E.R.A. on the road this year, compared to 7-0, 3.32 at Fenway . . . Mike Timlin pitched a scoreless eighth.