Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Clay Buchholz threw his second career shutout to help the Boston Red Sox rout the Orioles, 11-0, in Juan Samuel's managerial debut on the Baltimore bench.
Buchholz (8-3), who threw only his third career complete game and first since 2008, set a new career-high in wins with the five-hitter. Ironically, both of his whitewashes have come against Baltimore, although the first one was a no- hitter in his second career start on September 1, 2007.
The 25-year-old walked only one batter and struck out two to move into a tie atop the AL's win list with Tampa Bay's David Price. It was the fifth consecutive start in which Buchholz earned a win and Boston's fifth overall in six games.
Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Beltre and Marco Scutaro all homered for the Red Sox, who snapped a four-game losing streak to the Orioles.
Chris Tillman (0-1) was unable to get out of the second inning for Baltimore, which was playing its first game since the firing of manager Dave Trembley. Trembley, who ended his O's tenure with a 187-283 record, guided the Orioles to a league-worst 15-39 record at the time of his dismissal.
Trembley was replaced with Samuel, who is making his managerial debut after a 16-year playing career that ended in 1998. Samuel was unable to change the results in the short-term for Baltimore, which had just one runner reach third in its ninth consecutive defeat.
Tillman, meanwhile, gave up four runs, five hits and two walks in just 1 1/3 frames.
The Red Sox dominated from start to finish, scoring three runs in the first to get going.
Tillman quickly allowed Boston to load the bases with nobody out, allowing a leadoff single to Scutaro before issuing walks to Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz.
Baltimore nearly got out of it with minimal damage, as Youkilis struck out and was followed by a Victor Martinez RBI groundout. J.D. Drew, though, came up and hammered a two-run double to center for a 3-0 advantage.
The O's put two runners on in the home half but couldn't score, and Pedroia added an RBI single in the second for a 4-0 lead, prompting Baltimore to bring in Mark Hendrickson out of the bullpen.
In the fourth, Bill Hall reached on a passed ball third strike leading off, and Scutaro followed with a single. Hendrickson retired the next two hitters, but Youkilis stepped up and belted a three-run homer to left for a 7-0 cushion. The lead grew to eight on Beltre's leadoff shot in the fifth off Matt Albers.
Scutaro's solo shot off Frank Mata in the eighth made it 9-0. Beltre's RBI double and Darnell McDonald's RBI groundout against Alberto Castillo in the ninth accounted for the final score.
Buchholz has won nine straight road starts, dating back to August 19, 2009...Red Sox starters have gone at least six innings in six straight games...The Orioles still lead the season series, 4-3...Boston has won six straight road games overall...Samuel was previously Baltimore's third base coach. Triple-A Norfolk manager Gary Allenson was promoted to take over Samuel's position on an interim basis.
Tonight, though, the Orioles won't catch any breaks, as Clay Buchholz opposes them trying to join Tampa's David Price as the only American League hurlers with eight wins.
Buchholz won his fourth straight start in dominating fashion on Saturday, as he scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings to run his record to 7-3, while lowering his ERA to 2.73.
Buchholz is 4-2 lifetime against the Orioles with a 4.21 ERA in seven games (six starts).
Boston was denied a sweep in its three-game set with the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, as it dropped a 9-8 decision at Fenway Park.
Bill Hall went 4-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and scored four times for the Red Sox, who saw their four-game win streak halted. Jeremy Hermida went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and Marco Scutaro homered and drove in three in a losing cause.
Tim Wakefield (1-4) allowed eight hits and six runs over six innings to take the loss.
"My last start wasn't very good, but in this one I had a bad fourth inning," said Wakefield, who was dented for nine runs against Kansas City in his previous turn. "We had a lot of chances to score runs and I felt like they were going to back me up. Unfortunately, we came up on the short end of the stick."
Heading to the hill for the Orioles tonight will be righty Chris Tillman, who will be making his second start of the season. Tillman did not get a decision on Saturday in Toronto, but pitched well, surrendering two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Tillman has never faced the Red Sox.
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