Clay Buchholz Aims to Get Red Sox Closer to Yankees in AL East Race

With a big 6-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night, the Boston Red Sox pulled to within six games of the Yankees in the AL East and 5 1/2 of the Rays in the wild-card hunt.

Now, Boston heads out on their most important road trip of the season, a 10-game swing that starts with a four-game set in the Bronx against the Yankees.

The Red Sox will play winning teams in each leg of the road trip, with three-game series against the Blue Jays and Rangers following the big showdown in New York.

But if they have to take on the best, there’s no better way for the Red Sox to start the trip than by sending their de facto ace, Clay Buchholz, to the mound in Game 1.

WHEN AND WHERE

Red Sox (62-47) at Yankees (67-40)
Friday, August 6, 7:05 p.m. (NESNHD)
Yankee Stadium, New York

HEAD TO HEAD

The Yankees have won five of the eight matchups between the two teams this year.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Clay Buchholz (11-5, 2.59 ERA) vs. Javier Vazquez (9-7, 4.61 ERA)

Buchholz struggled in his first start after coming off the DL on July 21, but has been sensational in his last two, posting a 1.20 ERA in 15 combined innings against the Tigers and Angels.

But in his only start against the Yankees in 2010, Buchholz got roughed up, surrendering six runs (five earned) in five innings in a 14-3 loss on May 8.

Vazquez, who struggled early in the season, will be making his first start in August after a stellar July in which he went 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Adrian Beltre’s grand slam on Thursday gave him 75 RBIs on the year, which now leads the team.
• David Ortiz’s 13-game hitting streak was snapped on Thursday night, but he did reach base via walk and scored a run in the eighth inning.
• Jacoby Ellsbury went 0-for-3 on Thursday night. He hasn’t recorded a hit since May 23 against the Phillies, spending most of that time on the disabled list.

Yankees

• Lance Berkman (2-for-15) and Austin Kearns (0-for-6) are a combined 2-for-21 since being traded to the Yankees on July 31.
• Nick Swisher had a sensational July, posting a 1.011 OPS with seven home runs for the month. So far in August, Swisher has a 1.077 OPS.
• CC Sabathia is 0-2 in his last two starts, even though he’s posted a 3.29 ERA during that span.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• First baseman Kevin Youkilis is set to have surgery on his torn right adductor muscle on his right hand on Friday and will miss the remainder of the season.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron is on the DL with a lower abdominal strain. He’s taking precaution with his return and is trying to rest as much as possible.
• Second baseman Dustin Pedroia (broken left foot) is cutting back on his rehab, because he doesn’t want to aggravate his injury. If he were to further injure himself, it could leave him out six to eight months.
• Catcher Jason Varitek (broken right foot) did some very light jogging Wednesday. He remains weeks behind Pedroia.
• Righty Junichi Tazawa underwent Tommy John surgery in March. He is out for the year.

Yankees

• Andy Pettitte might be able to throw a bullpen session this week. The 38-year-old lefty hasn’t pitched since July 18.
• Reliever Damaso Marte has been on the DL since July 17 with shoulder inflammation.
• DH Nick Johnson has been on the DL since early May with a sprained wrist. He’s likely to miss the remainder of the season

OUTLOOK

By taking three of the four games in Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox could make a statement that they are here to fight until the end. A series loss could be extraordinarily difficult to overcome in the month and a half.