G114: Red Sox 3, Cleveland 2

Red Sox   - 000 102 000 - 3  6  2
Cleveland - 100 001 000 - 2  2  1

Clay Buchholz (9-2-2-0-6, 104) pitched a complete game, allowing only three baserunners. Cody Ross hit a two-run home run; Dustin Pedroia scored one run and drove in another.

It was Buchholz's second complete game of the year, and the fifth of his career. Asdrubal Cabrera had both of Cleveland's hits: a home run in the first inning and a double in the fourth. Jason Donald reached on two infield errors in the sixth - Pedroia committed an error trying to field the ball, and then Mike Aviles threw it away - and scored an unearned run in the sixth.

ESPN Stats & Information:

[Buchholz] took 12 hitters to a two-strike count and none of them would reach via hit or walk (one reached on an error). It's Buchholz's first start this season in which he didn't allow a hit or walk with two strikes.

Buchholz threw just 23 percent fastballs (2/4-seam) with two strikes, his fewest percentage in a start since September 2009.

With one out in the fourth, Aviles drew a four-pitch walk (!). He then raced to third on an errant pick-off attempt by Chris Seddon (6-5-3-2-3, 90). Pedroia singled him home. In the sixth, Pedroia singled and came across when Ross belted his 18th home run, a shot to dead center.

In addition to his two hits, Pedroia also walked and stole a base.

Will Middlebrooks was hit on the right hand or wrist by a pitch in the ninth inning and was pulled from the game.

Clay Buchholz / Chris Seddon

Ellsbury, CF
Aviles, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Ross, RF
Middlebrooks, 3B
Lavarnway, DH
Shoppach, C
Podsednik, LF

Buchholz began the season by allowing five or more runs in six consecutive starts, the worst streak by a Boston starting pitcher in 87 years (Red Ruffing June 27 to July 28, 1925). But he turned it around, beginning with a seven-inning, two-run effort at home against the Rays on May 27. Since then, he has been the undisputed ace of the staff.

                        IP    H   R  BB   K   ERA    AVG   OBP   SLG   OPS
First 9 (0408-0521)    49.1  67  45  27  27  7.84   .330  .417  .537  .954
Next 10 (0527-0804)    73.1  57  20  15  53  2.21   .219  .276  .350  .626

Buchholz - who turns 28 on Tuesday and is signed through 2015 (with club options for '16 and '17) - has:

allowed a total of four earned runs over his last four starts.

pitched at least seven innings in eight of his 10 starts since May 17.

allowed 0, 1, or 2 runs in nine of his 12 starts since May 11.

Also: When Buchholz allows a home run, it is almost always a solo shot. In 2012, 13 of the career-high 16 home runs he has given up have come with no one on base. In his career, 42 of 59 home runs hit off him have been solo. That percentage (71.2%) is well above the major league average over the first four years of his career (57.7%).