Never let it be said the Baltimore Orioles can’t play a meaningful game in September. Tonight, they did the windmill routine for the benefit of Red Sox rookie Clay Buchholz, who fired a no-no in just his 2nd Major League start as Boston clobbered the O’s, 10-0.
Buchholz (9 K’s, 3 walks, 115 pitches, 30 hitters faced) showed tremendous poise — and yes, holding the likes of Kevin Millar and Jay Payton hitless does actually count in 2007. But huge credit oughta go to Dustin Pedroia, who robbed Miguel Tejada of an infield hit in the 7th (thus redeeming himself after a slide into first base in the home half of the first — who does Pedroia think he is, Mike Lupica?)
The 23 year old Buccholz hails from Nederland, TX, making him the city’s 2nd most famous resident after singing cowboy Tex Ritter. And yes, I had to consult Wikipedia for that. I also learned that Nederland’s primary exports are clogs, cheese, windmills, bicycles, dikes, legalized prostitution and excellent recordings by the Ivy Green.
This no-hitter took Ian Kennedy’s lame-ass win off the front page of ESPN.com. Oh, hell yes….
To be fair to Pedroia’s head-first slide, he actually avoided a tag on an off-the-bag throw by sliding head-first – I’d like to think he knew the throw was offline (or the 1B coach told him to get down), because I’m a glass-half-full type of dude. Tejada’s head-first slide on DP’s great play, on the other hand, is probably worthy of a Lupica shout-out. If he just ran through the bag, instead of slowing himself down by hitting the dirt, he might’ve been safe.
Bob Brenly was very happy the game was a blowout, BTW, because he didn’t need to get pissed off about Roberts or Patterson potentially bunting their way on in the 9th.
yeah, well, there’s a right way and wrong way to lose a game. Dave Trembley’s Orioles certainly know how to do it the right way.
sorry, what were we talking about here?
Thank you GC for stating the full stats up front that included the three walks.The Boston Globe so enthralled with the good news injection after the recent 4 consecutive losses sort of buried that fact in the columns. You had to read the whole column to understand why it wasn’t a perfect game. The best comment on the whole affair came not after, not during, but before Bucholtz pitched, by Tito Francona in response to a sportswriters question: “Yeh, he’s going back down tomorrow even if he pitches a no hitter!” That comment should go in the record books.
Gordon Edes referred to Buccholz’ two 4th inning walks about 7 paragraphs in. However, I’m loathe to criticize in this instance — by referring to Buchholz’ performance with a headline of “Sox’ Buchholz no-hits Orioles in second start”, even had I not witnessed history, I’d still have assumed it wasn’t a perfect game. Otherwise, that achievement would’ve been noted by Edes pretty early. And the Globe — like virtually all major newspapers — does provide a box score.
Geez, there’s no shortage of place where you can’t just look at the pitcher’s line and see the walks. Today’s coddled generation bugs the shit out of me. Do a little work.
Three walks?!? Forget Pawtucket, send that loser back to Portland!
am i mistaken or did tito say that before buchholz’s first start against the angels? or did he say it again before this one?