Red Sox place Buchholz on 15-day DL

According to ESPN, he is the first Red Sox pitcher since 1920 to give up just one or no runs in six of his first eight starts. The club is just six and a half games out of first place in the American League East. Joe Girardi has rarely let his starters go 100+ pitches this year, so in came Justin Wilson to face Betts with two outs.

This season the New York Yankes have found plenty of success while playing the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Buchholz (7-7), who had won his previous four starts to spur Boston’s recent turnaround, left with elbow tightness with one out in the third. The right-hander has had a history of injuries.

What does count – and what, thank goodness, actually has genuine relevance to the standings – is what comes before the festivities, starting tonight at Fenway Park. He is 14-for-43 over that span.

-Before his homer in the first, A-Rod was 11-27 (.407 BA) against Buchholz in his career. Xander Bogaerts is a superstar in bloom, and Mookie Betts is fulfilling his promise, too. Breslow pitching. Drew grounded into fielder’s choice, catcher S.Leon to third baseman Sandoval, C.Young out, Gregorius to second.

Buchholz has been one of the few bright spots for the team.

Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia (strained left hamstring) ran the bases Friday, but was not activated on his first day eligible to come off the disabled list. He also drew a bases-loaded walk to raise his RBI count to 49 as he continues a strong comeback season after missing all of 2014.

The timing of the right-handed-hitting Refsnyder’s promotion coincides with Boston scheduled to start left-handers in these final two games prior to the All-Star break. Francisco Lindor walked to force in another run and Michael Brantley had a two-run single. The problem I see with Bucholz tonight is although he has been excellent lately, he has been a Jekyll and Hyde pitcher for the better part of three years and in his only matchup against the Yankees this season the Bronx Bombers destroyed him for nine earned runs over just 3.1 innings at Yankee Stadium. While losing their stopper while they sit 6.5 games behind the Yankees is certainly a blow, the Sox need to be grateful there was no ligament tear, which would likely require him to undergo Tommy John Surgery and miss at least a year.

All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth inning for his 18th save of the season.

CLEVELAND (AP) – Danny Salazar scattered five hits while allowing an unearned run in 8 2/3 innings and the Cleveland Indians used a four-run sixth inning to beat the Oakland Athletics. 448 (13-for-29) with two hits – including a first-inning, solo homer over the Green Monster. Chapman reached 103 miles per hour with his fastball, striking out the side.

If the Red Sox go the selling route, as reported earlier at the Inquisitr, they would have been fielding offers for Buchholz, but with his status in limbo right now, that market will probably cool down if not completely die.