By MaureenMullen
CSNNE.com
FORT MYERS, Fla.Clay Buchholz is still unscored on this spring after a four-inning outing against the Orioles at City of Palms Park Wednesday night which the Red Sox won, 2-1.
Buchholz gave up four hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He worked two perfect innings -- the first, when he opened the game striking out Matt Angle and Randy Winn, and the third. He faced five batters in each of his other two innings, stranding two runners in each.
It felt pretty similar to last outing, Buchholz said. I went out and did what I wanted to do in the first inning, and sort of got a little out of whack in the second, third and, fourth. But battled in some tough spots tonight with getting some runners on with less than two outs, and being able to get some contact at some guys, and get out of it.
"It was nice to see him pitch well but also pitch out of the stretch and pitch with some runners on base and continue to make his quality pitches, manager Terry Francona said. I thought he looked terrific"
Buchholz has not given up a run in his three starts, spanning nine innings. That doesnt impress him, though. It was a split-squad game for the Os, with Baltimore beating the Twins in Sarasota earlier in the day.
No, its spring training, he said. If it was during the season, it might be something. But everybodys still working on stuff. Even the hitters out here are still trying to get their timing down and everything, and us as pitchers are trying to go out there and throw all our pitchers and mix them all in. So, nah, its not a big deal right now.
Boston Red Sox
He mixed his pitches well, showed a hard cutter, sharp curveball, and some good changeups, said one scout in attendance. He looked in control.
Red Sox pitchers combined to hold the Os to five hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Bobby Jenks pitched perfect fifth inning with two strikeouts. Scott Atchison pitched two perfect innings with one strikeout.
He had two beautiful innings," Francona said of Atchison. He doesn't blow you away with his stuff, but he hits his spots, he throws strikes, he works quick. He does everything you're supposed to."
Maureen Mullen is on Twitter athttp:twitter.commaureenamullen