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Monday’s Red Sox-Mariners matchups: Clay Buchholz vs. Jason Vargas 09.03.12 at 8:58 am ET
By Nick O'Malley

Clay Buchholz

The Red Sox will seek to end their recent string of abysmal pitching performances as they open up the final series of a so-far winless West Coast road trip with Clay Buchholz, in what will be his 100th major league start.

During the team’s current six-game losing streak, Boston’s starting rotation has posted an ERA of 12.18. Fortunately for Boston’s outlook on Monday, the best performance of the past six belonged to Buchholz, who went seven innings while giving up four runs, including two home runs.

The outing was an improvement from Buchholz’s previous start, in which he lasted 5 2/3 innings and surrendered seven runs to the Angels — easily his worst outing since returning from the DL. Leading up to that start, Buchholz had been on a roll, posting a 2.11 ERA over six starts following a mediocre performance in his first start off of the DL.

Monday’s start will be just the third time the 27-year-old Buchholz will face off against the Mariners, having last started against them in September 2010, going seven strong innings and giving up one run in a 5-1 victory. Only three current Mariners were in the lineup against Buchholz in that game: Chone Figgins, Franklin Gutierrez and Michael Saunders. The one Mariner who does have a favorable matchup against Buchholz with a decent sample size is Figgins, who boasts a .833 OPS against him in 12 plate appearances, mostly when he was with the Angels. This season, Figgins is batting .185 through 62 games.

Starting opposite Buchholz will be left-hander Jason Vargas, who, unlike his counterpart, has a lot of recent experience against the opposition. The 29-year-old has already faced the Red Sox twice this season, taking the loss in a rough outing in May before getting a no-decision in a brilliant July start.

In their first matchup, the Red Sox notched doubles and two home runs against Vargas, who finished with five earned runs over six innings. However, the four Red Sox extra-base hits all came from players who will not be in Monday’s lineup (David Ortiz, Adrian Gonzalez, Kelly Shoppach and Daniel Nava).

Vargas fared much better in his second outing against the Red Sox when they came to Seattle at the beginning of July. Vargas lasted eight innings while giving up one run off of a solo home run by Dustin Pedroia in an eventual 2-1 Sox win in the 10th inning. However, even with the home run, Pedroia has posted meager numbers against Vargas, getting just one other hit and two walks off of him in 14 plate appearances.

Vargas comes into Monday’s game on a streak about as bad as the one many Sox starters are on. In his last two starts, Vargas has given up 11 earned runs, including five home runs, and failed to make it out of the fifth inning in either start.

Red Sox vs. Vargas (LHP)

Dustin Pedroia (14 plate appearances): .167 BA/.286 OBP/.417 SLG, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 2 walks

Jacoby Ellsbury (7): .286/.286/.286, 1 strikeout

Cody Ross (7): .429/.429/.429

Mike Aviles (6): .167/.167/.167

James Loney (5): .400/.400/.400, 1 RBI, 1 strikeout

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2): .000/.000/.000

Mariners vs. Buchholz (RHP)

Chone Figgins (12 plate appearances): .333 BA/.500 OBP/.333 SLG, 1 RBI, 3 walks, 1 strikeout

John Jaso (10): .000/.364/.000, 1 double, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Franklin Gutierrez (3): .333/.333/.333, 1 strikeouts

Miguel Olivo (3) .333/.333/.333

Michael Saunders has one walk in three plate appearances.

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  • Anonymous

    cherington and henry are in seattle with the sox today.  some say it is to fire bobbyV (see USA Today).  but, what if it is to make their best pitch for king felix?  stay tuned…

  • Here’s my guess

    I suspect it’s to calm Bobby V. I think he’s been instructed to treat these last games like spring training, without necessarily putting the best lineup on the field. It’s the rational thing to do considering the CBA, and the Sox’ need to draft pitching. Draft dollars are scarce, and a high pick is much more important than it use to be.

    But the press doesn’t get it, and continues to drag Bobbie through the mud. I’ve a feeling his pretty fed up.

    I wish the press would change their focus and start talking about the draft order and stop acting like losing games is a sign of deep problems that need to be fixed immediately.

  • Anonymous

     Reed is a good guy. 

  • Anonymous

    ED Reed … great player … great guy

  • Kyle

    I’d kill to have Reed in our secondary

  • Uncle Buck

    It was obvious the Ravens came out in the second half fired up on a mission.  They were hitting anything that moved and hitting hard.  I don’t really like Pollard or any of the Ravens in particular, but you have to admit, that team was some fired up for the 2nd half and they earned what they got. The Patriots did not execute when the game was on the line and it was in large part to the pressure the Ravens were bringing.  That said, I’d have to conceal my grin if Pollard and Lewis stepped in front of a bus. Kidding of course.

  • Uncle Buck

    No question he is one of the best.  Brady would like him on his side too, I’m sure.

  • Bruinman86

    Well, if only he still had something left in the tank.  His skills have really dropped off.

  • Boston_Sports

    I wonder if Pollard apologized to Ridley, Gronk, Brady and Welker. How about Suggs.  Anything there.

  • Lisakag

    Bring on Ed Reed to the Pats. They love him and we can used to the idea of him on our team.

  • guest

    Brady has 140 scrambling first downs to his credit…This is not a QB who “never runs” and doesn’t know how to slide….Look at his slide for a first down in the Texans game,,”textbook”….so, what gives?  

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/OHPRRWC64WF64YZWCPCIHCUUBM tim

    getover it

  • Anonymous

    Well jeez, I guess Brady did mean to do it.   Life is not good when the QB has to be the enforcer.   It’s not like there’s not mean S.O.Bs on this team.  Where were you, Logan Mankins?    Where were you, Brandon Spikes?   Time to step it up and start throwing your weight around.  Not just against teams like Buffalo and Miami, but against the Ravens and Steelers.   

  • http://www.facebook.com/patricia.mattie Patricia Mattie

    yea its pretty bad when its our qb trying to get some shots in….where the rest of the team…plzzz come to NE Ed Reed !!!!

  • mlnc

    The helmet-to-helmet shot on Ridley was dangerous.  Pollar’d a thug.

  • karmasucks

    The only sense of comfort one can get is that Pollard will get his some day…what goes around comes around…hope the Niners have some luck with that!

  • bench warmer

    Mrs.elite models husband should apologize to the “Rockettes” for attempting a dancers leg kick.
    What a chump. Man up, you gurly boy, put your head down and get a first down. Absolutely the worst effort by a q.b. in a championship game. Wimpy had more balls than Mr. Bundchen.

  • Drew Bledsoe

    Hey, no safety this year. Big improvement, oh wait, they only scored 13.

  • Whassup02724

     man your name says it all.. just a troll!!

  • Mal Tempo

    This is the first step in signing Reed with the Patriots next season. Tom wants him.

  • Bdpetroni

    The only reason it was a helmet collision was because Ridley ducked last minute. He caused the whole thing himself. The hit was going to be a standard tackle. And I’m a pats fan.

  • Bdpetroni

    And how many of those “scrambling” first downs were quick QB sneaks on 3rd and 1? I’m guessing the vast majority. Brady is obviously an amazing player, but he also looks like a newborn giraffe in the open field.

  • Bdpetroni

    I’ve had the utmost respect for Ed Reed ever since his Miami days. The guy is 100% class on and off the field. He is the one guy I will be happy for if the Ravens find a way to beat SF.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000130557152 Henry Schindler

    What gives….Tommie says he’s sorry. In other words, don’t fine me (with a tear in his eye)!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000130557152 Henry Schindler

    A devastating legal hit!

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