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Sox Game Story: Sox come from behind, win 5-4 »
August 1, 2007
PAWTUCKET — Everyone handles pressure differently.
Some people fold under it, while others thrive.
PawSox pitcher Clay Buchholz feels a lot of pressure every time he takes the mound, but he doesn’t let it get to him. He uses that adrenaline to throw the ball harder.
He knows that expectations are high for him and he’s OK with that.
The promising right-hander with a 97-mph fastball, wicked curveball, sensational slider and a changeup, had another strong outing last night.
There were 10,199 fans on hand to see Buchholz strike out nine batters in 6 1/3 innings. He scattered five hits with no walks while allowing two runs but he didn’t factor in the decision. The score was tied 2-2 when he left.
In the end, Buffalo snapped Pawtucket’s two-game winning streak in the 10th inning when Jason Cooper belted a two-out double down the left-field line.
Pawtucket left-fielder Bobby Scales misplayed the ball and Mike Rose scored all the way from first base on the error to lift Buffalo to a 3-2 victory.
Buffalo closer Mike Koplove closed the door on the PawSox in the bottom of the 10th.
The game was a pitchers’ duel between Buchholz and Buffalo starter Jeremy Sowers, the Bisons’ 2006 Most Valuable Pitcher. Sowers only allowed four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
It was a stellar outing for Buchholz compared to his last start when he walked four batters in four innings against Toledo.
Surprisingly, Buchholz only used his fastball once to get the third strike last night. None of his other strikeouts came on a pitch that was thrown harder than 86-mph.
Buchholz struck out the first two batters he faced, and five of the first seven Bisons.
Asdrubal Cabrera led off the top of the fourth with a single hit up the middle for Buffalo’s second hit of the game. He advanced to second base on a Buchholz balk and that came back to bite Buchholz. After he struck out Ben Francisco, Ryan Mulhern hit a hard ground ball towards the gap between third and shortstop.
Pawtucket third baseman Ed Rogers dived for the ball, but it got by him. Cabrera rounded third base and beat the throw home to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead.
On a 3-2 Buchholz pitch with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Jason Cooper lined a solo home run over the fence in left field to extend Buffalo’s lead to 2-0.
The PawSox evened the score in the bottom of the sixth frame.
After Ed Rogers hit a leadoff single, Scales (2-for-4, 2 doubles, run scored) doubled to put runners on second and third base. Jed Lowrie hit an RBI sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Rogers. Scales tagged up and sprinted to third base on the play.
Scales scored on a Brandon Moss grounder to third base with two outs. Buffalo third baseman Andy Marte misplayed the ball, resulting in an error.
--ROB LEE
Posted by Chris Venditto 
at 11:15 PM to PawSox
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