Red Sox 1, Twins 0
BOSTON -- This time, Clay Buchholz came out on top.
The Boston Red Sox right-hander, who lost a 2-1 pitcher's duel to Mike Pelfrey last week in Minneapolis, pitched eight strong innings and won the rematch on Tuesday night as the Red Sox opened a seven-game homestand with a 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Right fielder Rusney Castillo came through with a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning, delivering shortstop Xander Bogaerts from second with the only run of the game as Boston won for only the second time in its last eight games.
Buchholz (3-5) was strong from the start, needing just 92 pitches to get through the eight innings of three-hit (all singles) ball. He walked two and struck out eight, throwing 92 pitches in his fifth straight solid start. Only one runner got as far as second base.
Koji Uehara, who blew the save and took the loss in Texas Sunday, worked the ninth for his 11th save, yielding only a two-out walk.
Pelfrey (4-2) gave up the run on six hits in seven innings for the Twins, who just came out of a 20-7 May that vaulted them into first place in the AL Central.
Minnesota (30-20) won all three games from the Red Sox last week.
Bogaerts doubled with two outs in the seventh, his second hit of the night (to go with a stolen base). Twins center fielder Aaron Hicks gave up on the ball, which wound up hitting near the bottom of the wall in left-center. Catcher Sandy Leon then walked, and Castillo, just 4-for-22 against right-handers, singled up the middle.
Castillo then reached above the line of the fence to grab Hicks' fly ball that started the eighth.
Castillo's hit came after the offensively challenged Red Sox (23-29) had been 0-for-6 in the game with runners in scoring position.
The Red Sox had the only real scoring chance through the early innings. But the lack of hitting in the clutch, which has hampered this team all season, came back to bite Boston again.
With one out in the second inning, third baseman Pablo Sandoval drew a walk and rode to third on a long double by first baseman Mike Napoli. But Bogaerts then hit a grounder to short and Danny Santana easily threw Sandoval out at the plate. Leon then popped out to end the threat.
Buchholz struck out two in a one-hit first inning, two in the second, one in a one-walk third and two in a one-walk fifth.
Hicks walked with two outs in the fifth and stole second before Santana became strikeout victim No. 8 to end the inning.
Pelfrey was perfect in the third and fourth innings, the fourth ending when second baseman Brian Dozier dove to his left to rob Sandoval of a hit. Bogaerts singled and stole second with one out in the Boston fifth, but he advanced no further.
NOTES: Red Sox owner John Henry said neither manager John Farrell nor GM Ben Cherington is in danger of losing his job. He acknowledged the poor play of his team, saying, "We've been playing like bleep." Talking about Cherington, Henry said, "The general manager is going to be the general manager for a long time," and saying, "It's not his fault" when asked about Farrell. ... RHP Ricky Nolasco's MRI of his injured right ankle turned up no new damage, and the hope is he can avoid a disabled list stint. He won't make his regular start on Friday night. Thursday's Minnesota starter could be LHP Tommy Milone, currently in the minors. ... RHP Michael Tonkin will be the Twins' 26th man for Wednesday's day/night doubleheader. ... RHPs Phil Hughes and Trevor May pitch for the Twins against rookie LHP Eduardo Rodriguez and RHP Rick Porcello in Wednesday's two games. Rodriguez is coming off his 7 2/3-inning scoreless debut and win at Texas last week. ...Tuesday night was Mike Napoli Bobblehead Night at Fenway.