PLAYER OF THE GAME - Clay Buchholz. This is a no-brainer tonight, as Buchholz spun eight shutout innings of three-hit, two-walk ball. He struck out eight. Buchholz looked in control from the very start of the game, allowing just one base-runner to reach second base while he was on the mound - and that was due to a steal.
STARTERS REPORT - We had ourselves a little unexpected pitchers duel Tuesday night, but Clay Buchholz came out on top, lasting one more inning than Mike Pelfrey and getting one more run in support.
Pelfrey has no reason to hang his head, though. The Twins righty went 7.0 innings allowing just one run on six hits and two walks. He struck out one. But it was that last inning that the bottom of the Sox order got to him just enough to earn the loss.
TURNING POINT - Rusney Castillo's RBI single. The Sox were locked in a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning when Xander Bogaerts doubled with two outs and Sandy Leon walked. Castillo stepped to the plate and after pulling one just foul down the line, straightened out his swing and singled up the middle to drive in Bogaerts for the game's first and only run.
WHAT I LIKED - Bottom of the order production. The middle of the Sox order came up empty Tuesday night - David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, and Pablo Sandoval combined for one hit (and Ortiz single in the eighth inning) but the 6-10 hitters did their parts. The No. 7 hitter Bogaerts went 2-for-3 and scored the game's only run while the No. 9 hitter Castillo drove him in. Napoli, batting 6th, doubled as well.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE - I just listed it above - once again another poor showing from the teams' meat of the lineup. Ortiz and Ramirez both had abysmal Mays, and you saw what happened with this Red Sox team. The Sox won just 10 games in May, the lowest amount since 1997. June didn't get off to any better of a start for Ortiz and Ramirez, but the team can only hope they snap out of it soon. Neither Ramirez or Ortiz are going anywhere.
WHAT'S NEXT - Double trouble! The Sox and Twins will play a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday thanks to Monday's rainout. First to take the mound for the Sox in Game 1 is Eduardo Rodriguez, fresh off his stellar MLB debut in which he went 7.2 innings allowing just three hits an two walks without a single run. He'll face Phil Hughes.
Boston Red Sox
Game 2 is Rick Porcello up against Trevor May.