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Clubhouse reaction to no-hitter

Clay Buchholz on Clay Buchholz:

“If anybody would have said to me I’d come out [in my second big-league start] and did what happened today, I would have called them a liar. This is what you dream about growing up. This is unreal.”

Buchholz on the emotion of the night:

“I don’t even know a word for it. I was so excited and ecstatic about everything . . . You would think we won a World Series or something. It was an incredible moment of my life and something I’ll never forget.”

Buchholz comparing how he felt before this game compared to his major-league debut on Aug. 17:

“I was still nervous. It wasn’t the same kind of nervous, though. At least I knew what to expect from the crowd and everything else, but today I was just nervous like any other baseball game you play in. I felt a little better coming out of the gate.”

On the Red Sox giving him an opportunity:

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. It’s what you dream about coming up. I feel like nothing can go wrong right now. I’m going to try to keep everything on an even plane. It’s just a dream come true.”

Red Sox pitcher Bryan Corey was told to warm up in the eighth inning because of Buchholz’s pitch count, and his allotment of innings he’s pitched this season. As the right-handed reliever began to throw, it was probably the first time in his career he didn’t want to enter the game.

“I’m glad he went [the distance],” said Corey, who was called up from Pawtucket yesterday afternoon. “That’s not a game I want to come in to. He had an opportunity to do something special, let him go.”

Red Sox manager Terry Francona:

“That’s about as nervous and excited as a lot of us have been in a long time. That was something to see.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 11:49 PM | Permalink

Late Game Notes, Sept. 1

YOUKILIS SENDS HOME-RUN GREETING

Kevin Youkilis broke open last night's game by lining a three-run homer just over the top of the Green Monster in left field, giving the Sox an 8-0 lead.

The ball hit a short retaining ledge atop the wall and bounced right back onto the field, so Youkilis wasn't aware he had hit a homer until after he rounded second base, when he got the news from umpire Ed Hickox.

So Youkilis finished his home-run jaunt around the bases and as he got to home plate he turned and point to the Green Monster, where the ball had been hit.

Why, you ask? Because it just so happened his father, brother and his brother's wife were sitting right in the area where the ball had been hit.

"How cool is that," said Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp.

A NUMBERS GAME

Clay Buchholz was wearing uniform number 61. Two seasons ago, that number belonged to right-hander Bronson Arroyo.

Arroyo threw a perfect game for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Kevin Youkilis played in that game, and he also played last night behind Buchholz.

"The perfect game is a little more nerve-wracking because you don't want to make an error, but this was nerve-wracking, too. As a fielder, you want the ball hit to you. You want to make the play," said Youkilis.

Youkilis, not surprisingly, was impressed by Buchholz.

"This was unbelievable what he did, throwing a no-hitter in only his second start," said Youkilis. "They were way out in front of his changeup. A couple guys came down to first and they said he had a great changeup."

Ex-Soxer Kevin Millar, who walked once and fanned twice, was impressed.

"The guy threw a good game," said Millar. "He had his stuff, man. You've got to tip your hat to Clay Buchholz and move on. He didn't just have command of one pitch, he had command of three."

SOX GET OFFENSIVE

-- David Ortiz's three-run double boosted his total to 13 RBI in his last 8 games. He is batting .333 (10 for 30) over that stretch with five homers and is batting .382 over his last 15 games with four doubles, a triple, seven homers, 22 RBI and 20 runs scored.
-- Mike Lowell notched his second straight three-hit game in extending his hitting streak to 14 games, tying a season high. He had at least two hits in seven of those games.
-- Bobby Kielty went 2 for 4 and is 7 for 16 in his last four games,
-- Coco Crisp swiped second base in the second inning. It was his 22nd stolen base of the year, but his first since Aug. 10 in Baltimore. The 18-game stolen-base drought was his longest since going 23 games without one while with Cleveland from Sept. 8-Oct. 2, 2005.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 11:47 PM | Permalink

Late Game Notes, Sept. 1

YOUKILIS SENDS HOME-RUN GREETING

Kevin Youkilis broke open last night's game by lining a three-run homer just over the top of the Green Monster in left field, giving the Sox an 8-0 lead.

The ball hit a short retaining ledge atop the wall and bounced right back onto the field, so Youkilis wasn't aware he had hit a homer until after he rounded second base, when he got the news from umpire Ed Hickox.

So Youkilis finished his home-run jaunt around the bases and as he got to home plate he turned and point to the Green Monster, where the ball had been hit.

Why, you ask? Because it just so happened his father, brother and his brother's wife were sitting right in the area where the ball had been hit.

"How cool is that," said Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp.

A NUMBERS GAME

Clay Buchholz was wearing uniform number 61. Two seasons ago, that number belonged to right-hander Bronson Arroyo.

Arroyo threw a perfect game for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Kevin Youkilis played in that game, and he also played last night behind Buchholz.

"The perfect game is a little more nerve-wracking because you don't want to make an error, but this was nerve-wracking, too. As a fielder, you want the ball hit to you. You want to make the play," said Youkilis.

Youkilis, not surprisingly, was impressed by Buchholz.

"This was unbelievable what he did, throwing a no-hitter in only his second start," said Youkilis. "They were way out in front of his changeup. A couple guys came down to first and they said he had a great changeup."

Ex-Soxer Kevin Millar, who walked once and fanned twice, was impressed.

"The guy threw a good game," said Millar. "He had his stuff, man. You've got to tip your hat to Clay Buchholz and move on. He didn't just have command of one pitch, he had command of three."

SOX GET OFFENSIVE

-- David Ortiz's three-run double boosted his total to 13 RBI in his last 8 games. He is batting .333 (10 for 30) over that stretch with five homers and is batting .382 over his last 15 games with four doubles, a triple, seven homers, 22 RBI and 20 runs scored.
-- Mike Lowell notched his second straight three-hit game in extending his hitting streak to 14 games, tying a season high. He had at least two hits in seven of those games.
-- Bobby Kielty went 2 for 4 and is 7 for 16 in his last four games,
-- Coco Crisp swiped second base in the second inning. It was his 22nd stolen base of the year, but his first since Aug. 10 in Baltimore. The 18-game stolen-base drought was his longest since going 23 games without one while with Cleveland from Sept. 8-Oct. 2, 2005.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 11:47 PM | Permalink

Late No-Hit Notes, Sept. 1

Clay Buchholz became the first Red Sox rookie to throw a no-hitter and just the 20th rookie in big-league history to throw a no-hitter.

The last rookie to accomplish the feat was Florida's Anibel Sanchez on Sept. 6 last year. Sanchez had been traded by the Sox' organization to the Marlins as part of the deal that brought Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston. The last American League rookie to toss a no-hitter was the White Sox' Wilson Alvarez on Aug. 11, 1991, also against Baltimore.

Buchholz is just the third pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in either his first or second big-league start. The St. Louis Browns' Bobo Holoman hurled one in his first start on May 6, 1953. Alvarez's no-hitter came in his second start.

It was the Sox' first official no-hitter since Derek Lowe's gem at Fenway Park against the Devil Rays on April 27, 2002. Devern Hansack threw a rain-shortened five-inning no-hitter, also against the Orioles, on the final day of last season.

Buchholz tossed the third no-hitter in the majors this year. Chicago's Mark Buehrle no-hit Texas on April 18 and Detroit's Justin Verlander held Milwaukee without a hit on June 12.

Three of the Sox' last four no-hitters have come at the expense of the Orioles. In addition to Buchholz and Hansack, Hideo Nomo threw a no-hitter against Baltimore, in Camden Yards, on April 4, 2001.


-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 11:37 PM | Permalink

Pregame Notes, Sept. 1

-- The rosters could be expanded today, and the Red Sox have taken advantage by calling up six players from Pawtucket, including two starters tonight against the Orioles.
Brandon Moss, who spent Aug. 6-8 with the Sox in three games in Anaheim against the Angels (1 for 7), is in left field. Right-hander Clay Buchholz, who started at home against the Angels on Aug. 17 and was the winning pitcher, is on the mound tonight.
Also called up was outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, veteran shortstop Royce Clayton and relievers Bryan Corey and Craig Breslow.

-- J.D. Drew, who fouled a pitch off his right foot in his second-inning at-bat Friday night, is out of action for a while because of a contusion.

-- There is no update as to when Manny Ramirez (oblique) might be able to return.

-- Tim Wakefield, who was scratched from his start Friday night because of a sore back, said this afternoon that he fully expects to make his next scheduled start, Thursday in Baltimore.
Manager Terry Francona said the Sox will know more Monday, when Wakefield is expected to play catch. The knuckleballer has a side session slated for Tuesday, if his back will allow.

-- The Sox' outfield corps was depleted by injuries Friday night, so after Coco Crisp hit the wall in an unsuccessful attempt to catch a fly ball the Sox center fielder knew there was no way he could leave the game.
"When I went out there I said, 'Are you okay?' He said, 'Does it matter?' He was right. I appreciate that. He has a really good understanding of his responsibility. We appreciate that mentality, for sure," said Francona.

-- Francona was asked whether he had received a phone call and an apology from Major League Baseball for their fashion police's faux pas of checking to see if he was wearing his game jersey underneath a pullover during a game at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.
He said he didn't want to make any more of the matter than already had been made. He did say he had not received a call, but said he had made a call to express his displeasure and during the course of that conversation he was given an apology. Francona also stressed he wasn't upset with Bob Watson or Matt McKendry of MLB.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 4:27 PM | Permalink

Starting Lineups, Sept. 1

BOSTON

Lugo ss
Pedroia 2b
Ortiz dh
Lowell 3b
Youkilis 1b
Varitek c
Kielty rf
Crisp cf
Moss lf

Buchholz p

BALTIMORE

Roberts 2b
Patterson cf
Markakis rf
Tejada ss
Millar dh
Huff 1b
Moore 3b
House c
Payton lf

Olson p

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 4:24 PM | Permalink

Ellsbury, Buchholz, Moss, Clayton and Corey get the call to Boston

The Boston Red Sox today recalled outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Brandon Moss, and pitcher Clay Buchholz from Pawtucket, and purchased the contracts of pitcher Bryan Corey and shortstop Royce Clayton from Pawtucket.

Ellsbury leaves one day after his PawSox franchise-record 25-game hitting streak was snapped when he went 0-for-4 on Friday. He also leaves in a three-way tie for the International League lead with 33 stolen bases. He started 87 games in the outfield (65 CF, 12 LF, 7 RF) and batted lead-off in every one of his starts.

Ellsbury began his 25-game hitting streak on July 21 (just before he went on the disabled list with a groin streak) and then continued it from Aug. 5-30. He bettered the franchise-record 19-game hitting streaks posted by Dave Stapleton in 1979 and Dave Berg in 2005. Ellsbury batted .377 during his streak (40-for-106) which was the second longest hitting streak in the International League this season (Brandon Watson of Columbus had a 43 game hitting streak).

Clayton was signed by the Red Sox as a free agent on Aug. 23 and added to the PawSox roster on Aug. 24. In seven games with the PawSox he hit .143 (4-for-28) with three doubles and four RBI. He began the season with Toronto and batted .254 in 69 game before being released by the Blue Jays in early August.

Moss was chosen as the PawSox MVP prior to Friday's game. In his rookie season with the PawSox he leads the team in games played (133 out of 138), hits (139), runs scored (66 tied with Ellsbury), doubles (41), home runs (16), and RBI (78). His 41 doubles currently leads the IL and are just two shy of the all-time PawSox club record.
Moss hit .282 and made just two errors in 127 games in the field.

Corey led the PawSox with 58 appearances (2nd most in the league) while posting a 6-8 record with a 3.69 ERA along with three saves. In his last 24 outings with the PawSox he was 4-3 with a 3.20 ERA (9 ER in 25.1 IP).

If you subtract his one bad outing (7/29, 4 ER, 1.1 IP), his ERA during that stretch becomes 1.88 (5 ER in 24 IP).

Buchholz was 1-3 with a 3.69 ERA in eight games started for the PawSox since joining the team in mid-July. He was 7-2 with a 1.77 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for Double-A Portland to begin the season and led all minor league baseball with 116 strikeouts until his promotion to Pawtucket on July 12.

Pawtucket added Cory Keylor (OF) and John Barnes (pitcher) from Portland, and relief pitchers Blake Maxwell (from Single-A Lancaster) and Scott Lonergan (from short-season A Lowell). The PawSox also reinstated infielder Ed Rogers from the disabled list.

-- ROBERT LEE

Posted by Art Martone  at 1:32 PM | Permalink