Not only did Buchholz (11-3) help Boston avoid the three-game sweep but he maintained his run of six quality starts in a row. What's more, he hasn't been charged with a loss since July 14 which is remarkable considering how much the Red Sox have lost in that time frame. He actually allowed two runs in the first and one in the second but settled down to go eight innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.
Alfredo Aceves, Boston's lonely closer, struck out the side in the ninth for a 1-2-3 inning and his 24th save of the season.
After struggling so badly with runners in scoring position the previous two nights, the Red Sox improved (5 for 16) even if they still left way too many guys on base (10). Boston had 13 hits, five RBIs and four walks. Cody Ross went 3 for 5 with a double and RBI, Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5 with a double, two runs and an RBI, Carl Crawford was 2 for 5 with two runs, a double and stolen base, Adrian Gonzalez was 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs and a double while Scott Podsednik was 2 for 4 with a double, RBI and run.
Adam Jones had a two-run double in the first for the Orioles and Mark Reynolds blasted a solo homer (his 12th of the season) in the second inning but other than that, Baltimore was shut down. They went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.
Orioles starter Chris Tillman (3 earned runs, 6 hits) couldn't get out of the fifth inning but reliever Luis Ayala (4-4) allowed three runs in the sixth which turned out to be the difference.
Podsednik got Boston on the board with an RBI single in the second which cut it to 2-1. Boston tied in the fifth as Crawford scored on a wild pitch by Tillman and Gonzalez knocked in Pedroia with a sacrifice fly.
Pedroia started the scoring in the sixth by reaching on an infield single while Podsednik crossed the plate. Then Gonzalez and Ross kept the line moving with RBI singles of their own.
Boston improved to 4-8 against Baltimore this season; they play six more times with a home series for each team in late September.
The Red Sox are 3-4 so far on their 10-game road trip and it wraps up this weekend in the Bronx with three against the Yankees (70-48, 1st AL East), who are the top team in the American League. Remember when Boston won two of three at Yankee Stadium in the end of July? That was a real turning point of the season huh, oh wait.
Franklin Morales (3-3) faces Phil Hughes (11-10) tomorrow night (7:05 p.m., NESN), Jon Lester (6-10) takes on David Phelps (3-3) on Saturday afternoon (4:05 p.m., NESN) then Josh Beckett (5-10) closes out what could be a very ugly series vs. Hiroki Kuroda (11-8) on Sunday night (8:00 p.m., ESPN).
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