Buchholz got the ball in the top of the first and was greeted by a Nate McLouth single. Manny Machado popped up, Nick Markakis flied out and Adam Jones flied out to end the inning. Wei-Yin Chen was equally tough in the bottom of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury popped up, Shane Victorino lined out and Dustin Pedroia grounded out to end the inning.
Buchholz walked Chris Davis to begin the bottom of the second. Matt Wieters flied out, JJ Hardy looked at strike three and Ryan Flaherty whiffed to end the inning. Chen matched Clay in the bottom of the second. Mike Napoli flied out to center and Will Middlebrooks flied out to right, but Daniel Nava walked. Jonny Gomes popped up to end the inning.
Clay ran into some trouble in the top of the third. Steven Pearce grounded out and McLouth watched strike three go by, but Machado and Markakis both singled. Jones whiffed to end the inning. Chen continued to dominate in the bottom of the third. David Ross, Jose Iglesias and Ellsbury all flied out to left to end the inning.
Davis walked again in the top of the fourth but was erased on the Wieters force. Hardy then bounced into a double play to end the inning. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Victorino singled but was thrown out trying to steal. Pedroia walked but Napoli banged into a double play to end the inning.
Clay got bit by another walk in the top of the fifth. Flaherty grounded out and Pearce whiffed, but McLouth walked. Machado flied out to end the inning. The Sox threatened again in the bottom of the fifth. Middlebrooks struck out but Nava singled. Gomes struck out and Ross grounded out to end the inning.
Buchholz finally cruised in the top of the sixth. Markakis grounded out, Jones lined out and Davis struck out to end the inning. Chen matched him in the bottom of the sixth. Iglesias grounded out, Ellsbury lined out and Victorino flied out to end the inning.
Buchholz had one last inning left in him and it was the top of the seventh. Wieters walked but Hardy struck out. Wieters moved to second on the Flaherty ground out and Pearce struck out to end the inning.
The Sox finally struck first in the bottom of the seventh. Pedroia singled and Napoli doubled, but Middlebrooks whiffed. Nava then swatted a 3 run bomb into the Monster seats to make it 3-0. How's that for a clutch hit?
That was it for Chen who pitched great until the end. Tommy Hunter got the call out of the bullpen and Sox manager John Farrell countered by pinch hitting Gomes with Mike Carp. Carp grounded out and Ross struck out to end the inning.
Andrew Bailey got the call in the top of the eighth and turned up the heat. McLouth and Machado both struck out and Markakis flied out to end the inning.
Hunter returned for the bottom of the eighth and got both Iglesias and Ellsbury to ground out. Victorino flied out to end the inning.
Sox closer Joel Hanrahan took the mound o close out the game in the top of the ninth. Unfortunately Adam Jones greeted him with a blast to left to cut the lead 3-1. Davis grounded out and Wieters struck out but Hardy doubled. Representing the tying run, Flaherty popped up to end the game. The Sox held on to win 3-1.
Hero of the night is Daniel Nava. His 3 run home run was the difference in the game and made a winner out of Buchholz.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored. Mike Napoli was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Clay Buchholz was outstanding, earning his second win by tossing 7 innings of shut out ball, allowing 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 8. Andrew Bailey pitched a perfect eighth inning.
The Bad:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 0 for 4. Will Middlebrooks was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts. Jonny Gomes was 0 for 2. Mike Carp pinch hit for Gomes and grounded out. David Ross was 0 for 3 with a strikeout. Jose Iglesias was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Shane Victorino was just 1 for 4. Joel Hanrahan gave up the home run to Jones but earned his 3rd save of the year.
Final Thoughts:
Well that was a fun game. A pitcher's duel decided by one decisive blow by Nava and some superb pitching by Buchholz and Bailey. Without the strain of closing and with a healthy body, maybe Bailey will be devastating this year. Hanrahan giving up solo shots with a 3 run lead is annoying but its not the end of the world. Winning close games is something the Sox didn't do last year so hopefully this year is different. Tomorrow Ryan Dempster takes the mound opposite Jake Arrieta in Game 2 of this series.
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