No No for Buchholz

Saturday night turned out to be a memorable evening at Fenway Park in Boston. With Tim Wakefield sidelined due to injury, Clay Buchholz got the call for his second spot start of the season, after winning his only other major league start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on August 17th.

The fact Buchholz took the mound again isn't too big a surprise. With today marking the expansion of team rosters to 40 players, there were bound to be a few of the young guns called up, but Buchholz has had a lot of buzz surrounding him since the season started. Mind you, when the season started, Clay was pitching for the Portland Sea Dogs, Boston's AA affiliate. And what a season he was having for the Sea Dogs. Touted as the #2 prospect in the Red Sox organization, he travelled to San Francisco to take part in the Future's Game during the All Star break. A month later, after being bumped up to Pawtucket, he found himself a major league winner for the first time.

On Saturday, September 1st, Buchholz made history in Boston. Perhaps it wasn't enough for him to be called up to spot start for a team that is trying to finish the season strong after 4 straight loses and being swept by New York. Mixing up his pitches with 92 mile per hour fastballs, curves, and change-ups, the innings started to go by the way side, but yet there was silence as the totals were stacking up on the Boston side, Baltimore's column read all zeros. And thus when the 9th inning came around and the Fenway faithful all on their feet, the excitement was in the air. This young kid couldn't help but just have close to a perfect game. For his boyish face and wry frame, Clat Buchholz made a mockery out of the Baltimore line-up. (Let's not forget the help he received from great plays by Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp) And with a called third strike, on a curve ball, to end the game, Clay Buchholz not only accomplished one of the most difficult achievements in baseball; he did it in only his second start. Oh, it would be silly to forget, Clay Buchholz's no hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on September 1, 2007 was the first by a Boston Red Sox rookie, ever. Congrats!