The Red Sox will try, try again to break their lengthy losing streak as they take on the Seattle Mariners. We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in Safeco field.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, End 8th -- Rich Hill looks not-at-all impressive in the eighth, showing some serious rust on the mound by offering up three walks. Luckily for him, however, the hardest contact he gives up comes from Justin Smoak, and it goes right to Jose Iglesias at short, who quickly flips the ball to Dustin Pedroia for a tremendously helpful double play that saves the Sox from any damage.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, Mid 8th -- Dustin Pedroia contributes a similar effort as in the sixth inning, walking with two down and stealing second to give Cody Ross a runner in scoring position. The right fielder can't cash in, however, grounding back to the mound to keep the Red Sox stuck on just the one run with three outs to go.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, End 7th -- Not only does Clay Buchholz manage to pitch into the seventh, but he excels as he does so, striking out the side in order.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, Mid 7th -- Ivan De Jesus makes his Red Sox debut, pinch-hitting for Jose Iglesias with one on and two out in the seventh. It's not one that will go down in history, however, resulting in an easy ground ball that ends the frame.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, End 6th -- Trouble brews for Clay Buchholz with two outs, as Eric Thames draws a 7-pitch walk and Miguel Olivo slaps a single into left. He manages to get Carlos Peguero swinging over the top of a curveball, however, to end the frame with the score still at 4-1.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, Mid 6th -- With one out in the inning, Dustin Pedroia picks up his second hit of the game and steals second base shortly thereafter. Cody Ross cannot make contact, however, striking out before Mauro Gomez hits a fly ball to end the (limited) threat.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, End 5th -- Clay Buchholz has a much easier time of things in the fifth, getting a strikeout to close out a 1-2-3 inning. As per usual for the Red Sox, however, the damage has already been done.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, Mid 5th -- A leadoff single for Mike Aviles perhaps raises some hopes that the Sox would respond in kind, but Jason Vargas shuts it down from there to preserve the Mariners' newly-won lead.
Mariners 4, Red Sox 1, End 4th -- The end of the world comes on ground ball singles and errors. In a rally so very typical of September 2011, the Red Sox see hit after hit go against Clay Buchholz to start the inning, with a hit batsman mixed in to give the Mariners two runs and two on.
An out finally comes on a long fly ball, but even that ends up sloppy, with Ryan Lavarnway looking completely bush league in letting the throw from Jacoby Ellsbury get by him with no play at the plate incoming. John Jaso managed to make a late break to score with the ball getting all the way back to Buchholz near the dugout, and moved Justin Smoak to second, from where he would score on a single. The bleeding would not stop there, however, with another single moving the runner to third and Jose Iglesias fumbling with a ground ball as a run scored from third to make it four in the frame.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, Mid 4th -- Vargas responds in kind, having retired seven straight batters now to hold the Sox to just the one run they earned in the first. A pitchers' duel is fast emerging in Safeco.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, End 3rd -- Buchholz is through another 1-2-3 frame without so much as hard contact coming against him, the only fly ball bringing Cody Ross well in to make the grab.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, Mid 3rd -- Dustin Pedroia fails to break up the 1-2-3 inning this time, giving Vargas his first perfect frame of the afternoon.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, End 2nd -- Clay Buchholz is looking good so far against the Mariners. Two strikeouts get him through the first two outs of the second inning, the first on a cutter, the second on a splitter, both dropping out of the zone. Ryan Kalish comes in to field a shallow fly ball to left, and the inning is over.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, Mid 2nd -- Ryan Kalish hits a ground ball too far to Brendan Ryan's right for the shortstop to have any chance of making the play, earning himself an infield single. But like all the hits so far, it comes with two outs, and this time Jose Iglesias behind him is unable to keep the inning going.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, End 1st -- Things go easily for Buchholz in the bottom of the first as well, as the Red Sox finally have a decent beginning behind them. A two-out single from Kyle Seager is the only black mark on a clean first for Buchholz, and since it came with two-outs, it was never really a serious threat.
Red Sox 1, Mariners 0, Mid 1st -- Miracle of miracles, the Sox have an early lead. It comes despite the line drive that Jacoby Ellsbury was unfortunate enough to hit directly to first with one out in the inning. While the Sox were without the benefit of that particular could-have-been single, Dustin Pedroia managed a deep fly ball to center field that bounced over the wall for a ground rule double, and Cody Ross managed to find right field for a base hit to drive the second baseman in.