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CLAY BUCHHOLZ |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Buchholz returns by
shutting out Tampa Bay
September 10, 2013 ...
In an impressive return to action, Clay Buchholz fired five shutout innings, leading the Red Sox to a 2-0 victory over David Price and the Rays on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Buchholz allowed just three
hits and a walk while striking out six and outdueling the Rays ace. Since he is still building back his arm strength, Buchholz came out after 74 pitches, 44 of which were strikes. He improved to 10-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.61.
Craig Breslow, the Sox most underrated reliever, worked around two walks over his two hitless innings to lower his ERA to 2.01. Junichi Tazawa worked a scoreless eighth, setting the table for Koji Uehara, who continued his dominance by working the final four outs.
Uehara picked up his 19th save and reduced his ERA to 1.10, increasing his streak of retired batters to 31. That ties the record for a Red Sox pitcher, equaling fellow Japanese righty Hideo Nomo, who pulled off that same streak as a starting pitcher in 2001.
Of the 13 pitches Uehara threw, 12 were strikes. He has allowed one earned run over 35 2/3 innings and struck out 49. Uehara needed only 13 pitches to record the four outs, 12 of them strikes.
Price was equal parts gritty and masterful for the Rays in this one, giving up two runs over eight innings and throwing a career-high 127 pitches. He walked none and struck out nine. After Price fired four perfect innings, the Red Sox came through with what
turned out to be the game-turning rally in the fifth. Mike Napoli gave the Red Sox some life when he led off the fifth with a double to center that
Desmond Jennings just missed against the wall. In fact, Jennings admitted he misplayed it. Gomes followed with an RBI single up the middle. Daniel Nava moved Gomes to third with a bunt and Saltalamacchia's sacrifice fly to deep center made it a 2-0 game.
The win increased Boston's lead to 8 1/2 games in the American League East over the Rays with just 16 games to go. The magic number for the Red Sox to clinch the division is 10. While Tampa Bay has struggled mightily of late, the Sox are in their best groove
of the season with a 13-3 mark since Aug. 24. With Oakland losing, the Sox also have a four-game lead for the best record in the AL and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The fading Rays have dropped 12 of 16. They have a 11/2-game lead on
the Orioles and Indians for the final wild-card spot. |
