Quotes, notes and stars from the Red Sox’ 4-3 loss to the Tigers in Detroit:
* “Yeah they bunched some hits together. Went with [Junichi Tazawa] just because of the history of those top three guys against [Brad] Ziegler -- dead lowball hitters. It didn’t work out . . . No [Matt Barnes] wasn’t available.” -John Farrell on the bullpen’s eighth inning.
* “I just didn’t make good pitches . . . Not trying to walk guys, not even trying to pitch around guys. I’m just trying to make good quality pitches and didn’t get it done today.” -Brad Ziegler on his performance in the eighth.
* “Went out of the stretch for the whole start, less moving parts. That’s the thing I’ve been working on. Feel like it keeps me over the rubber a little bit longer and enables me to command a little bit better.” -Clay Buchholz on why he didn’t throw out of the windup in his start.
* “I still don’t have an explanation. It is ass-backwards to be honest with you. We go from a potential double-play to a first-and-third situation -- I don’t buy it.” -Farrell on the umpires’ decision after Casey McGehee’s hit in the second.
* “I think that’s the most consistent quality strikes he’s thrown in any given outing all year -- particularly in the starting role.” -Farrell on Buchholz’s start.
* “I didn’t think it was going to go out.” -Sandy Leon on his home run.
NOTES
* Sandy Leon is 14-for-32 (.438) in his past 10 games. He also has two doubles, a triple, four home runs (one today) and eight RBI (one today) in that stretch. The four home runs have come in the past seven games.
* Red Sox starting pitchers have a 2.56 ERA in August, cutting down from July’s 4.28 mark. They’ve almost averaged seven innings per start in August.
* Buchholz had his first quality start since May 20 when he lost to Cleveland.
* Buchholz has thrown 10 1/3 innings over two starts in place of Steven Wright. He’s given up nine hits, three walks three and only four runs.
* Junichi Tazawa made his 289th relief appearance for the Red Sox, tying Manny Delcarmen for the fourth most.
STARS
1) Miguel Cabrera
Cabrera reached base three times, finished 2-for-3 and knocked in the Detroit’s first run in the eighth inning.
2) Clay Buchholz
Boston’s starter deserved a better fate than a no-decision Thursday. Buchholz threw six strong innings, gave up six hits, but zero walks in an effort that deserved a W.
3) Matt Boyd
Although the lefty wasn’t impressive, he worked out of a few jams, holding the Red Sox to two runs over six frames.