The Red Sox were hoping to play spoiler down the stretch to teams still in search of a post season berth, but in order to do that they would have to actually win games down the stretch. The Sox lost the first game of the series and then with Clay Buchholz on the mound lost another game. Buchholz had had a few strong outings in a row, but last night would not be among them. Buchholz gave up 5 runs during his 4 innings of work. That sure doesn’t look like what will be the Sox ace in 2015.
The Red Sox loaded the bases and made Francisco Liriano work in the top of the 1st, but Liriano would be able to wiggle out of the jam without allowing the Sox score. Buchholz would not be so lucky in the bottom of the inning. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead when Buchholz gave up a solo homerun to Polanco. In the 2nd the Pirates added on when Buchholz gave up a 2 RBI double to Barmes and an RBI single to Harrison. Sox 0-4. Ugh. In the 3rd inning Buchholz gave up another solo homerun, this time to Walker. Sox 0-5. Buchholz did pitch a scoreless 4th inning and that would be it for him. His pathetic pitching line for the night was 73 pitches, 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB and 3 Ks.
The other thing of note in the game last night other than the poor Sox pitching was the major league debut of Rusney Castillo. Castillo would end up going 1 for 4 for the night with his first major league hit being an infield single in the top of the 4th inning. The only run that the Sox would end up being able to scrap up would be in the 5th inning when Bryce Brentz also made his major league debut. Brentz hit a leadoff double and came to the plate by way of an RBI groundout from Xander Bogaerts. Sox 1-5.
Steven Wright took the mound in the 5th to replace Clay Buchholz. Wright kept up the trend of poor pitching on the night. Wright’s knuckleball just wasn’t working and ended up giving up 4 runs in the inning. Wright gave up an RBI groundout to Marte and then a 3 run homerun to Davis. Sox 1-9. Rookie Matt Barnes took the mound in the 6th and pitched two scoreless innings. Heath Hembree took the mound for the 9th and finished out the game with a scoreless frame.
Red Sox 1 Pirates 9 BOXSCORE
WP: Liriano (6-10) LP: Buchholz (8-9)
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