Clay keeps arms warm
Dazzles as Sox edge TB
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It took until August, but the Red Sox starting rotation is past the point of transitioning from a weakness to a strength.
It might be six deep.
One night after David Price allowed just two hits in eight scoreless innings, Clay Buchholz continued his redemption tour with a second straight quality start, his most impressive of the season, to lead the Red Sox to a 2-1 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Less than two weeks removed from serving as a mop-up man out of the bullpen, Buchholz threw 94 pitches and held the Rays to just one run on five hits and two walks in 61⁄ innings. He struck out nine, a season high, as the Sox kept pace with the Toronto Blue Jays and remained tied for first place in the American League East.
“I felt like my arm strength has been getting stronger and stronger with each outing,” Buchholz said. “The bullpen actually helped with that.”
Buchholz isn’t the only reason the Red Sox are at a season-high 17 games above .500 while in their hottest stretch of the season, having won 10-of-12.
After Buchholz stymied the Rays — a last-place team, but one that entered this series having scored 55 runs in their previous seven games — the Red Sox rotation has a 2.69 ERA in the month of August, second only to the Cubs.
Outfielder Mookie Betts explained how important the starting rotation turnaround has been, noting, “It gives us confidence that even when we don’t score a whole lot, we can go play defense and know our starters and bullpen can give us a chance to win.”
Last night was the 30th time this season the Sox have been held to two runs or less but only the fourth time they’ve won in that situation.
“When you have to execute from the mound, defensively, late in games with minimal margin for error, I think these are very good tests for us as we get to this portion of the schedule, particularly on the road where you’re not going to be, most times, in a friendly environment,” manager John Farrell said. “To come through as we’ve done defensively, that’s the key.”
For much of this season, the Sox have only won blowouts. Before last night, they were 12-39 when scoring less than five runs. But as good as the rotation has been, the Sox now are winning the close games.
They’re 5-4 when scoring three runs or fewer in August. Before August, they were 2-33 in such games. And they’re playing much better defense.
Andrew Benintendi, fresh off his once-in-a-lifetime catch to rob a home run Monday, roped a single to center in the third inning, advanced to second on a groundout then came around to score on a single by David Ortiz.
The 40-year-old designated hitter ran from first to third on a single by Betts, and when Rays right fielder Steven Souza Jr. tried to throw Ortiz out at third, his wild attempt allowed Big Papi to jog home.
Betts then delivered the Sox yet another memorable defensive play in the eighth inning as he unloaded a perfect throw to third base to nail Kevin Kiermaier trying to turn a double into a triple on a ball hit down the right field line.
“Wow,” Ortiz said. “One of the best I’ve ever seen.”
With help from Betts, Brad Ziegler handled the eighth, and Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth for the Red Sox, who at 7154 are on fire and still in the mix for the division title.
The offense remains the best in baseball. Rays starter Chris Archer (7-17) gave up two runs and lasted just five innings then said afterward, “They’re No. 1 in every single category for a reason.”
But they’re also winning close games when their offense is held relatively quiet. Finally. “Hell yeah, I’ll take anything right now,” Ortiz quipped. “But that’s good. That means our pitching is good. It’s good for other teams to see that.”