Buchholz And The Rain Make A Winning Pair..Red Sox Win 1-0 Over Detroit...Matsuzaka Out At Least A Month, Maybe Many More

In the latest Daisuke news, it's not good. Here is the official Boston Red Sox post-examination statement...

"Daisuke experienced tightness in his elbow during his last start. His examination is consistent with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, and strain to his common flexor mass. An MRI was obtained which confirmed these exam findings. He will be re-examined in two weeks."

Sometimes a sprained ulnar collateral ligament strain can lead to (gulp!) Tommy John surgery which would take him out of the picture for the rest of the season, maybe more. I wish Daisuke the best and I hope he can get back to and be in the kind of shape he was in when he threw those two consecutive 1-0 wins.

Last night at foggy soggy Fenway, Buchholz shut out the Tigers over seven innings, allowing only four hits. The Sox won the game by a score of 1-0 on the strength of a Salty wall ball base hit in the eighth, making a winner of Danny Bard, who pitched a clean eighth inning. Papelbon did the same and the Boston Red Sox had won their fifth straight. Here the manager, Tito Francona, on his starter...

“He went out to start the eighth inning with 100 pitches (he ended up throwing a career high 129 pitches). I would’ve kicked myself for not sending him back out until he gave up a run. That was his inning. He was terrific and he needed to be, because their guy was pretty good, too. High pitch count, but part of it was he threw a lot of strikes, but a lot of 3-2 counts, lot of swings and misses. The couple of times he got in a bind he pitched out of it. Good changeup, elevated his fastball when he wanted to. Really pitched well.”

Buchholz has really come into peak form just when we need him the most. So has Beckett, who's going tonight, and Lester, who's always there for more. I'm just happy the game didn't go into extra innings. Five straight...not bad, not bad at all!

Tonight in the second and last game of the Tiger series, Josh Beckett will face Justin Verlander, who is one tough cookie. But I have faith in the man named Josh. The game begins at 7:10pm EDT. No rain, please! Have a great Thursday, click on this post's title for all the details and video of the game and as always, BE WELL. Thanks for popping in.