Opposing viewpoint
Buchholz looks to lift Sox in matchup vs. ex-teammate
BOSTON — The protective plastic sheeting from the Blue Jays’ end-of-season celebration was still covering the lights in the visitor’s clubhouse at Fenway Park on Saturday.
No reason to take down.
They might need it again pretty soon.
The Indians arrived in Boston with a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five AL Division Series and a chance to eliminate the Red Sox in Game 3 today. If they do, it will be the end for Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, who will retire at the end of the season and will do everything he can before then to make sure that doesn’t come quite so soon.
“Everybody had it mapped out in their head in spring training what we wanted to do, knowing that David was not going to be here next year,” Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz said. “We reached the first goal, and that was to get in the playoffs and win the division. Second part of it has not worked out the first two games, but I don’t think there’s anybody on this team that’s more confident than David Ortiz about us moving forward.
“And whenever he comes to bat, he would love to put himself in the most pressure-packed position. That’s just what he’s done over his career.”
After Cy Young candidate Rick Porcello and ace David Price failed to beat the Indians in the first two games, Buchholz will try to slow down an offense that already has four homers in the series. He will face right-hander Josh Tomlin, a former teammate from it RED SOX VS. INDIANS Game 1: Indians 5-4 Game 2: Indians 6-0 Game 3: 4 p.m. today Indians (Tomlin 13-9) at Red Sox (Buchholz 8-10) Game 4: 6 p.m. Monday* Indians (Bauer 12-8) at Red Sox (Rodriguez 3-7) Game 5: 6 p.m. Wed.* Red Sox (Porcello 0-1) at Indians (Kluber 1-0) Angelina Junior College.
“This is a pretty cool story,” Buchholz said. “We talked about it the other day. He’s one of my good buddies. It’s a small world when it comes to that.”
Tomlin said the two pitchers get together in the offseason and have been back to the school in Lufkin, Texas, to work out with their coach. When their teams play, they sometimes hang out or go out to lunch.
The Red Sox had a meeting Saturday — players and coaches — after arriving at Fenway, and Buchholz said the team needed a reminder of what brought it so much success this season.
“We’re here because of everybody and what they’ve done throughout this year,” he said. “We have a potential couple of MVP candidates, potential Cy Young candidates on this team. We’re a really good ballclub and there’s no need to put added pressure or added stress on one game because of what could happen.”
Across the diamond, the Indians were loose, thanks to their two-game lead.
That said, reliever Andrew Miller said the team knows it has work to do.
“We can’t take our foot off the gas,” he said. “We’re not celebrating at this point.”