After missing 82 games, Clay Buchholz was taking the mound for the first time in months. The last time we saw Clay on a mound he was crazy dominant with a 9-0 record. The was an anxious anticipation amongst Red Sox Nation, especially since he was slated up against last year's Cy Young winner David Price. Buchholz's outing coudn't have gone better and he walked off the mound after the 5th in line for the win.
Buchholz and Price started off the game in complete pitcher's duel mode. Price took a no hitter into the 5th inning and Buchholz was putting up zero after zero in each inning. Mike Napoli, who has been on fire lately, was the guy to break up Price's no hitter in the 5th with a lead off double. Gomes got him home with an RBI single. Gomes ended up at 3rd with one out and got home when Salty hit an RBI sac fly. Sox 2-0. Buchholz finished the 5th inning and was done for the night at 74 pitches. He looked pretty great from the start. It took a couple of innings to get his fastball working, but his off speed pitches looked just as dynamic as the last time he was on the mound. Buchholz's pitching line for the night was 74 pitches, 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB and 6 Ks. I don't think you can ask for better than that for his first outing back after being on the shelf for months.
Craig Breslow came out and pitched two scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Tazawa. Taz got 2 outs before giving up a double to Escobar. Farrell came out to get Tazawa and once again asked Uehara to get a 4 out save. Uehara continued to get outs and do them efficiently. Uehara got the four outs while just throwing 13 pitches to do it. From beginning to end, it was a pretty well pitched game from the Red Sox.
Red Sox 2 Rays 0 BOXSCORE
WP: Buchholz (10-0) LP: Price (8-8) SV: Uehara (19)
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