Clay Buchholz Chasing Down ERA Crown as Red Sox Square Off With Orioles

The Red Sox will try for an increasingly rare home win when they host the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

After dropping a 4-2 decision in the series opener, the Sox are 1-3 on their current six-game homestand and 17-19 in their last 36 games at Fenway Park against American League opponents.

Daisuke Matsuzaka's accuracy was a factor in the series-opening loss on Monday night while Victor Martinez chipped in with three of Boston's five total hits against O's starter Brian Matusz.

Clay Buchholz, who is 7-4 at home, will start for Boston. Brad Bergesen is on the mound for the Orioles, now 28-21 under Buck Showalter.

WHEN AND WHERE

Orioles (60-90) at Red Sox (83-67)
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 7:10 p.m. NESN
Fenway Park, Boston

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HEAD TO HEAD

The season series is tied 8-8.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Brad Bergesen (7-10, 5.03 ERA) vs. RHP Clay Buchholz (16-7, 2.48 ERA)

Following the worst start of his career back on Sept. 10, Buchholz rebounded to allow just one run in seven innings of a 5-1 win at Seattle on Wednesday.

While Buchholz's chance at 20 wins was lost during a stretch of three starts without a victory, he still has the American League ERA title in his sights. Entering Tuesday his 2.48 mark trails only the Mariners' Felix Hernandez (2.35).

Buchholz is 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA vs. Baltimore.

Bergesen is coming off his second complete-game win in just over a month and he needed just one hour, 55 minutes to accomplish the feat. Facing Toronto, Bergesen allowed one run on seven hits in a 3-1 triumph.

The 24-year-old has allowed exactly one run in five of his last eight starts. He is 1-3 with a 3.66 ERA against the Sox.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez is 18-for-48 (.375) with 15 RBIs in his last 12 home games.
• The Sox are 3-8 in their last 11 games at home.
• Bill Hall on Monday became the first Boston left fielder to record two assists in a game since Manny Ramirez did it on May 30, 2005, also against Baltimore at home.

Orioles

• Closer Koji Uehara has not issued a walk in 27 straight outings (29 innings pitched), a franchise record.
• Right fielder Nick Markakis on Monday became the third player in baseball history to hit 43 doubles in four straight seasons, joining Hall of Famers Joe Medwick and Tris Speaker.
• Baltimore is 12-3 in the opening game of its last 15 series.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Second baseman Dustin Pedroia had season-ending surgery Sept. 3 on his broken left foot. He is expected to be fully healed for spring training.
• Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) will not resume any baseball-related activities until after the season ends.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron had season-ending surgery Friday to repair an abdominal tear.
• First baseman Kevin Youkilis had successful surgery to repair the torn right adductor muscle on his right hand. He will miss the remainder of the season.
• Left-hander Felix Doubront has pain behind his left clavicle. He has not pitched since Aug. 31 and has no return date set. Doubront will be reevaluated Monday but may be done for the year.
• Right-hander Junichi Tazawa underwent Tommy John surgery in March. He is out for the year.

Orioles

• Infielder Julio Lugo has been bothered by headaches.
• Right-hander Jason Berken went on the DL in August with a slight tear in his right labrum and a frayed rotator cuff. He is expected to be able to rehab the shoulder and avoid surgery.

OUTLOOK

Now 6 1/2 games out of a wild card spot with just 12 games remaining, there isn't much left for the Red Sox to play for other than pride and a few statistical feats. Buchholz's pursuit of the ERA crown will take center stage Tuesday.