The Sox get Pedroia back tonight, but the question is...is it too late?
The Sox are 5 1/2 back of the Rays and Yankees, so they have a shot, but with problems with their lineup, injuries, and bullpen the Sox are really going to need to pull themselves together. Doing that starts tonight as Buchholz faces Jered Weaver.
Weaver, 2-0 with an 0.83 ERA in three starts this month, went a season-high eight innings in Wednesday's 2-1, 10-inning victory over Kansas City. He had 11 strikeouts to raise his major league-leading total to 182. The Sox have had trouble hitting at times this year, and it won't get any easier with him on the hill. The key tonight, as it is with most good pitchers on the hill, is to work the count and get him out of the game as quickly as possible by raising his pitch count. The good news for the Sox is that Weaver is 1-1 with a 7.06 ERA in 4 career starts in Boston.
Buchholz has had one hell of a year. He is 13-5 with a 2.49 ERA (3-0 with a 1.48 ERA in his last 4 outings). All the concerns we had about Buchholz have disolved, and Theo's best move as a GM (other then signing Schilling) might have been to not trade Buchholz. The Angels lineup isn't all that good and Torii Hunter is currently in a slump, so tonight could be another gem from Buchholz.
This game is going to be close, but I think Fenway is the difference, and Boston gets it done tonight.
Red Sox win 4-2
Players of the Game: Buchholz/Drew
Game starts at 7:10pm on NESN.
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