The Red Sox are out to break free of their four-game losing streak and eight-game tailspin Tuesday night as they take on Mark Buehrle and the Florida Marlins.
We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in Marlins Park.
Red Sox 2, Marlins 1, Final -- A leadoff single doesn't end up costing the Sox, as they finally get back in the wins column.
Red Sox 2, Marlins 1, Mid 9th -- Alfredo Aceves will need a scoreless inning to close out the game in the ninth.
Red Sox 2, Marlins 1, End 8th -- With two outs in the inning, Vicente Padilla decides to make an adventure of it, though it's not so much his fault as back-to-back batters reach on an infield single and a bloop over Dustin Pedroia's head. Deciding not to take any chances with the tying run 90 feet away, Padilla decides to simply strike Giancarlo Stanton out (for the fourth time today) and end the inning that way.
Red Sox 2, Marlins 1, Mid 8th -- Youk gets plunked with two outs--likely an accident, since this may be the least heated series ever--but the Sox can't follow up, and they'll head to the bottom of the eighth with just the one run lead.
Red Sox 2, Marlins 1, End 7th -- Bobby Valentine's decision to leave Clay Buchholz in to hit with two on and two out in the seventh isn't rewarded with a very good inning. Though Clay did pick up his ninth strikeout of the game, this one coming against Gaby Sanchez, a fastball on the inside part of the plate to Chris Coghlan ends up leaving the park to right by a good margin for a solo shot that cuts the lead in half. A loud fly ball that could have been another shot in some parks ends the inning, however, so Clay can count this as another strong start in his pocket.
Red Sox 2, Marlins 0, Mid 7th -- The Red Sox scored!
Twice!
Will Middlebrooks got things started with one out, dropping a line drive into right field for a single. While Adrian Gonzalez would make the second out behind him, Kelly Shoppach made good on Bobby Valentine's decision to place him so high in the lineup, hooking an RBI double into the gap in center. Behind him, Mike Aviles almost popped out in foul territory, but John Buck had the ball bounce from his glove as he leaned into the dugout, giving the Sox' shortstop new life, leading to a bloop hit to right-center that brought Shoppach home from second. Only a tremendous diving catch from Chris Coghlan on a Clay Buchholz fliner kept the Sox from adding to their tally.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, End 6th -- It feels like Clay Buchholz has been pitching in a 3-2 count all night, but so far there's still no results on the board for the Marlins. While they again managed to turn one of the 3-ball counts into a walk--this one a leadoff pass to Omar Infante--a great play by Mike Aviles to backhand a Hanley Ramirez ground ball and start the double play made quick work of the baserunner, and Buchholz followed it up by striking out Giancarlo Stanton for the third time tonight, this time with a tremendous changeup.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, Mid 6th -- The Sox get some luck when Gaby Sanchez can't pick out a throw in the dirt from Omar Infante at first, allowing Darnell McDonald to reach base to lead the inning off. After Clay Buchholz bunts him over to second, however, Scott Podsednik strikes out and Dustin Pedroia grounds out to end the threat.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, End 5th -- Clay's fifth scoreless inning is a bit more tenuous than the last, as he walks John Buck--his first of the night--and after Mark Buehrle strikes out trying to bunt Buck over, gives up a long fly ball to center that thankfully dies on the warning track.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, Mid 5th -- After breaking a nearly month-long streak without a walk, Adrian Gonzalez now has one in two straight games, drawing the free pass off the usually stingy Buehrle to lead off the inning.
Unfortunately, one batter later, and Mike Aviles erases him with an inning-ending double play.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, End 4th -- Buchholz gets back to dealing in the fourth like he was in the first. While he runs the counts full against both Giancarlo Stanton and Logan Morrison, he paints the outside edge with a two-seam fastball that looks sure to end up outside before it cuts back in, and then gets Morrison swinging at a cut fastball down-and-in, looking for all the world like a right-handed version of the Jon Lester of old.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, Mid 4th -- If there's one thing to be said for watching Mark Buehrle dominate your team, it's that he's mercifully quick about it. Even though he throws 13 pitches to retire the side in the top of the fourth, striking out Will Middlebrooks for the third out, it feels more like 5.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, End 3rd -- The Marlins get back on the basepaths against Clay Buchholz, but a foolish baserunning decision by Jose Reyes and a heads-up play from Kevin Youkilis helped Buchholz escape the inning unharmed all-the-same. After recording another two outs to start the frame, Buchholz had Jose Reyes line a single into left field and then move to second as a ground ball found the hole in the left side of the infield. That's when Reyes took "in scoring position" a bit too seriously. With Mike Aviles having to range far to his left to grab a ground ball from Hanley Ramirez, the Marlins' third baseman was able to beat the throw to first. Reyes, on the other hand, could not beat the throw home, as Youkilis picked him up trying to score on the infield single and had him dead to rights at the plate.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, Mid 3rd -- The Sox offer less resistance in the third than they did in either the first or second, though that is perhaps to be expected with the pitcher batting second. Buchholz, to his credit, at least takes a couple of balls to work the count to an even 2-2 before he goes down swinging at an 86 MPH fastball, but perhaps he shouldn't be swinging at all given his back issues and the propensity of AL pitchers to get themselves hurt at the plate.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, End 2nd -- Clay Buchholz keeps right on rolling into the second inning, retiring the side on nine pitches and adding a strikeout to his tally as he gets Gaby Sanchez to swing at a slurvish curveball high and away for his fourth K of the night.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, Mid 2nd -- Kelly Shoppach gives the Red Sox their first baserunner of the game, lining a double down the foul line in right field, but it comes with two outs and Aviles leaves him there with an easy ground ball out.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, End 1st -- And now the Marlins are feeling the frustration too. For the second straight game, Jose Reyes hits a low liner to the right side of the infield--this one doesn't even quite reach the grass before landing--and ends up on third base with all three outs to work with.
Clay Buchholz, however, is not willing to simply concede the run. An 0-2 changeup in the dirt gets Omar Infante to take an off-balance swing for strikeout number one, three pitches to Hanley Ramirez lead to a similar result, again on a changeup that dips by about a foot as it reaches the zone, and while Giancarlo Stanton manages to work the count full, he can't quite hold up on a curveball the breaks down and outside of the zone, resulting in strikeout number three.
Red Sox 0, Marlins 0, Mid 1st -- Just one inning in and this one has "frustrating" written all over it. Against a pitcher like Mark Buehrle, the Sox can't really afford to have their strong contact not lead to hits, but that's what they had happen in the first. A leadoff line drive from Scott Podsednik is caught by a running Giancarlo Stanton, who has to lean forward and squat down to keep the ball from falling in. Dustin Pedroia's strikeout is not so frustrating as it is disappointing, but the Marlins bring the aggravation right back when Hanley Ramirez lays out for a hard hit ground ball from Kevin Youkilis, robbing him as well.