A barrage of home runs and a solid outing by Josh Beckett got the Sox back on track Saturday. They rolled to an 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals, getting the best of reigning Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke. Beckett, who had a line drive glance off his head at one point and allowed three runs in seven innings as Jason Varitek hit two of the team’s five home runs.
The job of maintaining momentum falls on the shoulders of Clay Buchholz, who will be making his 2010 debut. Buchholz had one of his finest starts last year in Kansas City when he tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 10-3 rout.
It is the rubber game of a three-game set and precedes Boston’s trip to Minneapolis, where the club will help open Target Field on Monday afternoon.
WHEN AND WHERE
Red Sox (2-3) vs. Royals (2-3)
Sunday, April 11, 2 p.m. (NESN)
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
HEAD TO HEAD
The teams have split the first two of seven meetings this year. Kansas City owns a 210-207 all-time series lead.
PITCHING MATCHUP
RHP Clay Buchholz (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Gil Meche (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
With Tim Wakefield looking strong in his 2010 debut and Daisuke Matsuzaka on the road to recovery, Buchholz could use a strong opener to solidify his hold on the fifth spot in the rotation.
The 25-year-old had an up-and-down spring training. He has allowed four runs and struck out 12 in 12 2/3 innings against the Royals in his career.
Looking to rebound from a difficult 2009 season, Meche opened the year on the disabled list due to shoulder stiffness. He shined in a minor league rehab start last week. The righty is 5-3 lifetime against the Sox.
LINEUPS
| Red Sox | Royals |
|---|---|
|
Jacoby Ellsbury, LF Dustin Pedroia, 2B Victor Martinez, C Kevin Youkilis, 1B David Ortiz, DH Adrian Beltre, 3B Jeremy Hermida, RF Mike Cameron, CF Bill Hall, SS |
Scott Podsednik, LF |
STAT SHEET
Red Sox
- Left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury had his first three-hit game Saturday. He had 13 three-hit games in 2009.
- Josh Beckett got the win Saturday to break a string of four straight games in which a Red Sox reliever had a decision. It was the team’s longest such streak since 1989.
- Boston leads the majors with a 73-36 (.670) record against American League Central clubs since the start of the 2007 season.
Royals
- Center fielder Rick Ankiel had hits in eight straight at bats before finally being retired in his last two trips to the plate Saturday.
- Left fielder Scott Podsednik is 6-for-18 with three walks from the No. 2 spot in the Royals lineup, but has yet to score a run or record an RBI.
- Reliever Luis Mendoza has given up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings.
BLACK AND BLUE
Red Sox
Daisuke Matsuzaka yielded a pair of hits in five scoreless innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday. On the disabled list with a neck strain, he is expected to make two more starts at the minor league level.
Boof Bonser, on the disabled list with a groin injury, gave up three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings in a start at Pawtucket on Thursday. He threw 76 pitches, 43 for strikes.
Jed Lowrie remains on the disabled list with mono. Terry Francona said Wednesday that Lowrie has yet to make any real progress toward a return.
Royals
Third baseman Josh Fields is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday. He is out with a sore hip.
Reliever Kyle Farnsworth left Friday night’s game with sore shoulder. No new updates have been given.
Third baseman Alex Gordon begins a rehab assignment this week. He is on the disabled list with a fractured right thumb.
OUTLOOK
Not that any team can be taken lightly, but the Royals are a great first draw for Buchholz. He seemed to still be battling some mental issues on the mound this spring, and having a team with some lesser bats in the lineup will help him get off on the right foot.
Meche had a dismal 2009 season and has been dealing with shoulder issues. Look for the Sox to take advantage of what may be a limited pitch count for him and get into that horrid Royals bullpen as soon as possible.
