Clay Buchholz earned his first Major League win in his debut against the Los Angeles Angels with some help from the Boston offense who scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning and eventually won 8-4.
Buchholz let up a run in the first inning on a Garret Anderson ground out that was unearned due to an error by J.D. Drew in right field, but after getting six runs from his offense, he settled down. Buchholz pitched for 6 innings, giving up eight hits, four runs, three earned, while walking four and striking out five.
Buchholz was sent back down to Triple-A Pawtucket partly because of an injury to Doug Mirabelli. Catcher Kevin Cash was called up to fill in the spot for the missing catcher from Triple-A Pawtucket.
John Lackey (15-7) struggled big time in the bottom of the first inning as Dustin Pedroia lead off with a single and scored on a two-run homerun by David Ortiz. Manny Ramirez singled and Drew brought him home on an RBI triple giving Boston a 3-1 lead and Buchholz some breathing room in his first start.
Although, Boston was not done scoring runs just yet.
Mike Lowell drove home Drew on an RBI single, Doug Mirabelli had an RBI double, and Alex Cora doubled to left making it 6-1 as Lackey was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in the inning.
Mirabelli was taken out of the game and replaced by Jason Varitek after suffering an injury running the bases. The injury appeared to be a calf injury.
Buchholz settled down allowing only three hits through the next three innings while striking out two in the three frames. Buchholz also induced two double plays during the span.
The Angels touched up Buchholz for some runs in the fifth scoring two runs on RBI singles by Vladmir Guerrero and Anderson and scored another in the sixth on a Jeff Mathis sacrifice fly to center.
Hideki Okajima had some trouble in the eighth but was relieved by Jonathan Papelbon who had a four out outing earning his 29th save while Okajima picked up his 21st hold of the season preserving the 8-4 victory.
