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Orioles-Red Sox Preview

Sep 8, 2009 - 4:50 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Baltimore (56-81) at Boston (79-57), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Clay Buchholz has provided stability just when the Boston Red Sox have needed it in their beleaguered rotation, but stable wouldn't be the best way to describe his history against the Baltimore Orioles.

Buchholz has been pounded by the Orioles ever since he no-hit them two years ago, but the Red Sox hope he can begin their eight-game homestand with a victory Tuesday night as they open a brief two-game set with Baltimore.

Earlier this season, Buchholz was pining for a chance in Boston's seemingly deep rotation after a run of success in the minors, but he has suddenly become a key starting pitcher for the Red Sox.

Veterans John Smoltz and Brad Penny have been shipped out of town, ace Josh Beckett has struggled and the club's fifth starter remains in question, but Buchholz (4-3, 4.40 ERA) has five quality starts in his last six outings.

The right-hander is also 3-0 in his last four starts, winning his last two and beating Tampa Bay on Thursday, retiring the final nine batters he faced in six innings of a 6-3 victory.

"It doesn't always go like that, but when it does, it makes you feel good about the start," Buchholz told the Red Sox's official Web site.

Buchholz felt great after pitching a no-hitter against Baltimore at Fenway Park in his second major league start Sept. 1, 2007, but he's 0-2 with a 12.71 ERA in three starts against the Orioles since. He gave up seven runs in four innings at Camden Yards on Aug. 2.

He'll hope to do better at home, where the Red Sox (79-58) play 15 of their final 25 games. Considering that they are 45-21 at Fenway, those games could help them hold on to what is currently a 2 1/2-game lead over Texas for the AL wild card.

"The position we're in makes it a lot easier," left fielder Jason Bay said. "We're not looking up at two or three teams having to do monumental things. We just have to go out and play well at home like we have and hopefully start to distance ourselves."

Boston would, however, like to get its offense back on track after scoring 10 total runs while losing three of four during the long weekend to the Chicago White Sox.

The Red Sox stranded eight runners Monday in a 5-1 defeat as reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia was held without an RBI for the eighth straight game. In 50 games in August and September last year, Pedroia hit .353 with 35 RBIs.

Boston's offense will try to turn it around against Baltimore rookie David Hernandez (4-6, 4.54), who has struggled lately after a strong start to his career.

Since lowering his ERA to 3.20 by allowing one run in seven innings of a 6-2 win at Fenway on July 26, Hernandez is 1-4 with a 6.29 ERA in seven starts. He walked six and allowed five runs in five innings of Baltimore's 9-6 loss to the Yankees last Tuesday.

After they helped Boston with wins over the Rangers on Saturday and Sunday, the Orioles (56-81) will be going for their first three-game winning streak since a five-game run June 17-21.

But the AL East's last-place club has had major problems with the Red Sox lately, going 2-11 this year. Hernandez's win at Fenway snapped the team's 11-game losing streak there, and the Orioles are 7-27 in Boston since the start of 2006.