|
 |
|
CLAY BUCHHOLZ |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Clay Buchholz salvages a
split with the Angels
June 8, 2013 ...
Fueled by more mastery from the Clay Buchholz, the Red Sox salvaged a split of a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park with a 7-2 victory over the Angels in Game 2.
There was one reason for some mild concern, however. Buchholz came out of the game with two outs in the top of the seventh with tightness in his neck. He will undergo more tests by the training staff with the hope of making his next
start. The injury occurred on a strange play in the top of the sixth inning. Howie Kendrick hit a line drive that knocked Buchholz's glove right off his hand. Buchholz left his glove on the ground and chased down the ball behind the mound. His throw to
first was too late to get Kendrick. This wasn't an easy night on Buchholz's body. In the fourth, he fielded a grounder by Alberto Callaspo and stumbled over the first-base bag as he recorded the out.
However, the Red Sox are paying Buchholz to pitch, not field, and he's doing that as well as anyone in baseball this season. In this one, he allowed six hits and two runs, walking one and striking out four. In his first 12 starts of the
season, Buchholz is 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA. And for the 11th time in those 12 starts, Buchholz allowed two earned runs or fewer. Buchholz came out and Craig Breslow and Junichi Tazawa did the rest as the Sox completed a 7-2 victory. Buchholz gave up two runs on
six hits to improve to 9-0.
Earlier in the day, the Red Sox had seen a solid start by Felix Doubront spoiled by Franklin Morales's struggles out of the bullpen. But as has been the case all season, Buchholz was able to steady things, using his entire arsenal to keep the
Angels off balance. Doubront went six strong innings in Game 1 and felt strong enough to go another.
At the bleakest point of his seventh-inning stint, he threw 10 straight pitches and they were all defiant. Morales started the inning by getting two outs around a Mike Trout double. Farrell then made the decision to intentionally walk Albert
Pujols. From there, though, Morales watched his chance to escape unscathed vanish when Mark Trumbo buzzed an RBI double down the first-base line, which also seemed to strip Morales of any power over his control. The fastballs that didn't sail
high above the strike zone missed well wide of it. His changeup dived into the dirt. He walked Kendrick to load the bases, then with eight straight errant heaves issued walks to Callaspo and Chris Iannetta for a 6-2 Angels lead.
Clayton Mortensen came in and allowed another run to come in on Erick Aybar's single, completing a nightmarish four-run frame.
Still the opportunities were there on the basepaths. They rallied for three runs in the ninth inning and left 14 men on base. With a fresh 27 outs in the nightcap, they turned the tables. Left fielder Jonny Gomes (2 for 5, two runs, one
RBI) gave the Sox an early spark and Pedroia (2 for 4, two RBIs) and David Ortiz (2 for 5, two-run homer) taxed Angels lefty CJ Wilson every time he passed through the Sox' lineup.
Outfielder Shane Victorino was activated Saturday between games of the Red Sox' doubleheader with the Angels. Victorino was placed on the disabled list May 24 (retroactive to May 21) with a left hamstring strain. Jackie Bradley was
optioned to Pawtucket to make room for Victorino. Bradley was demoted after hitting .238 (5 for 21) in his second stint in the big leagues. |
