Sox have pitcher to thank for win, but it aint Buchholz

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

With two outs and his team up by three, it was Jose Contreras that sparked the Red Sox offense with a botched play on a slow roller that should have ended the inning and a bases-full threat.

These are the kind of breaks the Red Sox haven't gotten much lately and when they have gotten them, they haven't taken advantage.

But Monday night, the Red Sox offense looked like the offense they expected to have when they acquired Victor Martinez. Instead of squandering a bases-loaded situation, the Sox blasted Contreras right out of the game with six runs in the third. Then they added two more in the fourth to take a 7-4 lead.

That should have been enough. For most pitchers, it would have been.

Enter Clay Buchholz, the unpredictable.

After three solid - though not stelar - outings prior, Buchholz failed to get out of the fifth inning for the third time in eight starts this season, giving up a big fly to maybe the most underrated first baseman in the league, Paul Konerko to tie the game back up.

But in fine fashion, the Red Sox' offense was relentless, something it hasn't been very often this season, despite the talent level. At best, they have been inconsistent. Is it finally coming together? Boston had 13 hits - seven for extra bases. Yes, it did take an error to prevent yet another squander, but the big thing is the Red Sox were able to capitalize on the blunder for more than just a run or two.

With the pitching staff in such a state of flux, the offense will have to take every opportunity it can get in order to stay in games. Maybe Monday night was a sign of things to come.