Clay Buchholz owns a no-hitter through six innings. Boston is up 4-0 on the Rays as Clay walked four batters, He’s thrown 90 pitches, 54 for strikes. Given his high pitch count, the weather, and Boston being in the early part of the season, I don’t know if Clay will be allowed to take his pitch count very high.
Update: Buchholz gets through the seventh inning on nine pitches, striking out two. He now has 11 K in the game. He’s throwing hard, with a four seam fastball that rises and a two-seamer that darts.
Update: Kelly Johnson singles off Buchholz leading off the eighth.
The pitching of Buchholz and Lester, and (most of) the bullpen, is a good omen….
Pretty weak lineup that Tampa has though.
Red Sox 6-0 in games that Lester and Buchholz have started, 1-4 with everyone else.
The offense is sputtering a bit but should improve when Papi returns.
Folks want to credit Farrell for Lester and Buchholz but Buchholz pitched well last year after his first 9 games and Lester is in a defecto contract year with an option for 2014 , and looks to be in much better shape with the puffiness around his face gone. Not saying Farrell and the new coach have not helped but sometimes we give coaches too much credit and blame.