Clay Buchholz Continues Search for How to Avoid Big Inning, Keep Red Sox in Games

Just when Clay Buchholz appeared to take a step forward, he absorbed another setback.

After cruising through the first two innings of Monday's 8-6 victory over the Orioles, Buchholz reverted to old struggles. In the third inning, he issued three walks –– including one with the bases loaded –– and allowed three singles.

It took 29 pitches for Buchholz to notch the first out of the inning, which came when Adam Jones grounded into a double play. He finished the frame by tossing 31 pitches, setting him up for a short stay.

"That's all it's been all year, one big inning. Got to find a way to get out of it, giving up two runs instead of four," Buchholz told reporters in Baltimore. "It keeps the team in the game."

He escaped the third inning, but served up a leadoff homer to Orioles first baseman Chris Davis to start the fourth. Although Buchholz settled down after the blemish, the numbers didn't show it since he allowed five runs and four walks.

In the process, he elevated his ERA from an already major-league high 7.77 total to 7.84. Unfortunately for the right-hander, he's wasted some strong performances from the offense since he's received an average of nearly nine runs per game in support –– also a major-league high.

"In the third, I lost feel for a couple pitches and tried to force 'em and then I think obviously the walks killed me," Buchholz said. "If I don't walk anybody there, nobody's scoring. Had a couple of long at-bats, couple of good at-bats those guys put up and fouled off some good pitches and fought their way to get on base… walks killed me."

He'll have another four days to try and rectify the issue.

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