Red Sox 2 - 5 Guardians
Final
  for this game

Red Sox try to add to Indians' misery

Aug 11, 2012 - 2:02 PM

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(Sports Network) - Behind another outstanding start from Clay Buchholz, the Boston Red Sox took the second game of a four-game weekend series over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night, 3-2.

Buchholz (10-3) was masterful, allowing just two hits and one earned run in a complete game effort, striking out six while walking none.

The right-hander has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the All Star break, going 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in five starts since July 19.

"Just what the doctor ordered," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said of Buchholz performance. "He was terrific. He was in control the whole way."

Chris Seddon (0-1) was the hard-luck loser for the Indians, allowing two earned runs and five hits over six innings of work.

Cleveland got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning behind Asdrubal Cabrera's 13th home run of the season.

A Dustin Pedroia RBI single in the fourth tied game up at 1-1. The Red Sox took the lead for good after Cody Ross belted his 18th homer of the year in the sixth.

Pedroia and Cabrera both finished with two hits apiece.

All the news was not good for the Red Sox, though, as third baseman Will Middlebrooks was hit in the wrist in the ninth inning. Although there was no confirmation from the team, reports have stated that the wrist is broken.

"I have no idea what it is," Middlebrooks said before he left. "I just know it hurts."

The Indians have now lost 17 of their last 22 games.

Franklin Morales will take the hill for the Red Sox on Saturday. He's been primarily used as a reliever this season and has been one of the team's strongest pitchers with a 3-2 record and a 3.14 ERA.

Morales made his sixth start of the season on Aug. 5 and earned the win behind a six-inning, one earned run performance.

The southpaw has been especially great away from Fenway Park, where he boasts a 1-0 record and a 1.35 ERA to go along with 40 punchouts in 33 1/3 innings.

For the Indians, rookie Zach McAllister will try to improve upon his impressive season. He's just 4-4 in 12 starts, but he has a very respectable 3.60 ERA.

Despite the right-hander's success this season, he has not registered a win since July 16. He struggled mightily in an Aug. 6 loss to Minnesota, lasting just 1 2/3 innings while allowing six hits, two walks, and nine runs, though just two of those were earned.

McAllister has been one of the Tribe's most consistent starters. Before his last start, he's pitched at least 5 2/3 innings in every outing and has yet to allow more than four earned runs in any start.

The 24-year-old faced the Red Sox on May 12 in his second start of the season, earning the loss despite striking out eight over seven innings.

Boston took three of four from the Tribe earlier in the year and has beaten them in six of the last nine meetings.






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