Mora denies sign-stealing accusation

BALTIMORE, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Baltimore Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora Sunday denied a claim he tipped off teammates on signs against the Boston Red Sox.

The sign-stealing claim was made by Boston starter Josh Beckett in the fifth inning of Boston's 6-2 win, and nearly caused a confrontation between the players before Baltimore third-base coach Juan Samuel stepped between them.

"I think it was a situation where (Beckett) thought that Melvin was relaying signs to the hitter," Samuel said on the Orioles' Web site. "Walking off the field, he made some comments and Melvin answered them, and I felt like if I didn't turn Melvin around and push him away, things could have gotten out of hand."

"I've been playing for seven years straight against the Boston Red Sox, and that's never happened to me," Mora said. "(Beckett) came to me and apologized, because everybody over there knows me. I don't play that game."