Woot for offense!
Buchholz didn't have an easy time pitching tonight's game. He didn't pitch poorly but it wasn't his best performance to date either. He threw ninety-six pitches in five and one-third innings. He allowed five hits and handed out four walks. He struck out six. Twice, in the second and third innings, he worked himself into a mini-jam by allowing the first two batters to reach first (in the second inning by walking two and in the third by giving up a single and a walk) but both times he escaped unscathed by returning the next three batters to their seats.
Buchholz did run into trouble in the fifth inning. He walked the first batter, then got a fly out for the first out. The next batter hit a double to left field. With runners of second and third, Clay threw a pitch that got away from Varitek, rolled to the backstop, and allowed the first Rays' run to score. The play that ended the inning was a pretty one, though. With a runner still on third, the next batter hit a grounder down the left field line that Lowell scooped up and tossed to Youkilis for the out at first. After Lowell decided to go to first, the runner at third took off for home but he couldn't beat the throw from Youkilis to Varitek and was out at the plate.
Buchholz started the sixth inning by giving up a single to the first batter and getting the second batter to fly out to center. He was then replaced by Lopez. Lopez finished the inning relatively easily (he got a ground out and a pop out) but ran into some trouble when he came back out for the seventh. I'd like to think that I'm a kind and generous, forgiving and understanding soul, but Javier Lopez seems determined to test me (as does Julio Lugo-they might be working in tandem.) The two of them started off the seventh inning with a high throw from short to first that allowed the base runner to reach safely-though, in the replay it did look like Youkilis got down in time for the out. Next, Lopez gave up a double and on a sacrifice fly from the third batter of the inning, the first runner scored. The fourth batter of the inning grounded out to short and the second run of the inning scored. Manny Delcarmen came in to replace Lopez at that point. Delcarmen looked a little shaky to start things off. He walked the first batter and gave up a single to the second one he saw. He got it together, though, and struck out the last batter without any further damage done.
Okajima pitched the eighth inning, saw three batters, and got three fly outs. Papelbon pitched the ninth inning, saw three batters and got two ground outs and a strike out.
So, yeah. Hooray for offense and runs! Hooray for runners in scoring position and extra base hits! Hooray for home runs and rookies with something to prove!
They got their first run in the third inning. Lugo was up after Varitek had grounded out to short. After seeing a ball, Lugo shot the next pitch to deep center for a double (it's all part of his testing the limits of my patience strategy-hitting streaks, going through error-less phases.) Ellsbury flew out to left for the second out of the inning. But then Pedroia, with an ugly hack, sent one down the left field line for a double and Lugo came around to score. Manny struck out to end the inning.
The big offensive push came in the fourth inning with two outs. Brandon Moss sent the first good pitch he saw to straight away center field for a home run. Next, Varitek got a single and Lugo walked. Ellsbury got a hit that knocked in Varitek and sent Lugo to third. Ellsbury then stole second and Pedroia got a single that scored both Lugo and Ellsbury. Pedroia moved himself over to second on the throw and then came around to score on a single by Ortiz. Manny ended the Rays misery by striking out to end the inning.
The Sox picked up another run in the eighth inning. Moss started off with a single and then took home on a double by Varitek. And although they had loaded the bases by the end of the inning, no more damage was done when Manny struck out.
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