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A LOST YEAR WITH
BOBBY V ... May 11, 2012 ... The Fenway Park crowd of 37,438 recognized Clay Buchholz with an ovation for a job well done in tonight's 7-5 victory over the Indians. It helped the Red Sox (13-19) snap a three-game losing streak with their first home win since April 30, which was also the last time Buchholz earned a win. But Buchholz, who entered with a 3-1 record but a 9.09 ERA, didn't seem to take much joy in the adulation, departing with one out in the seventh after allowing a walk to Asdrubal Cabrera that loaded the bases. Although he wound up getting charged with all three runs (one unearned) in the inning, there was no disputing the first praiseworthy outing Buchholz submitted this season, going 6 1/3 innings while allowing eight hits and three walks on a season-high 111 pitches. The Sox provided ample run support, scoring seven runs on 12 hits. Boston scored its first five runs on doubles by Will Middlebrooks (1 for 4, 2 RBIs), Dustin Pedroia (3 for 4, 3 RBIs), and Cody Ross (1 for 2, 2 walks, 1 RBI). Buchholz seemed to get off to a smooth start, retiring the first two batters he faced, but encountered some difficulty getting the last out of the inning when he allowed a run on two hits, one hit batsman, and one walk. Asdrubal Cabrera drew the walk, which wound up coming back to haunt Buchholz, then went to second on Travis Hafner's single to center. Carlos Santana ripped a single to left to score Cabrera, giving Cleveland a 1-0 run. The Indians seemed poised to pile on the runs when Buchholz hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch, loading the bases for Michael Brantley. Buchholz's struggles drew a quick mound visit from manager Bobby Valentine. Valentine's message seemed to hit home when Buchholz ended a 24-pitch inning by inducing Brantley to ground to first. The Sox responded by scoring two runs in the first, two more in the second, and one in the fifth inning. Middlebrooks came up with the bases loaded in the first and ripped a two-run double off Ubaldo Jimenez, which scored Pedroia (who extended his league-leading active hitting streak to 12 games with his infield base hit) and David Ortiz (walk). Although he gave up two more hits in the second, Buchholz held the line and got out of the inning when Daniel Nava gunned down Jack Hannahan at the plate after Jason Kipnis singled to left. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia blocked the plate with his left leg, and applied the tag. Indians third base coach Steve Smith came steaming in to protest the call, but was summarily ejected by plate umpire Derryl Cousins, leaving manager Manny Acta to double as third base coach. Buchholz was given two more runs in the second when Pedroia doubled to right off Jimenez, scoring Nick Punto (who snapped an 0-for-19 skein with his leadoff single to center) and Ryan Sweeney (single to right) to make it 4-1. Buchholz threw four more scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk in that stretch while retiring 12 of the 15 batters he faced. The Sox erupted for three more runs in the fifth to chase Jimenez (4 1/3 innings, 7 runs, 9 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts). Nava drew a leadoff walk, then scored to make it 5-1 on Ross's double to left. After Punto reached on a fielder's choice, Sweeney drove in Ross with a single to right, which prompted Acta to lift Jimenez for Dan Wheeler, who pitched for the Sox last season. Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Punto to make it 7-1. After Buchholz's departure in the seventh, Rich Hill took over and walked in a run. Carlos Santana then reached on an error by Middlebrooks at third, which pulled the Indians within 7-3 and prompted Andrew Miller to be summoned in relief of Hill. Miller induced Choo to fly to left and gave up an RBI single to Brantley, scoring Cabrera to make it 7-4, before he got out of the inning by getting Casey Kotchman to ground to first. Alfredo Aceves, the sixth Sox pitcher, made it interesting but closed out the ninth, allowing one run, two hits, and a walk. He struck out Hannahan and got Johnny Damon to fly to center to end it. |
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