Clay Buchholz pitched one inning, Madison Bumgarner nearly retired seventeen straight, and John Lackey at one point pinch hit for Ramon Ramirez.
Sound like a win? No? Well, remarkably enough, it was. Clay Buchholz pulled up lame after running to second on a Marco Scutaro GIDP--he was later diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee, so at least it's not too serious--leaving the typically horrible bullpen to get through eight while holding a four-run lead. Remarkably, they actually managed it for once, as the Red Sox defeated the Giants 4-2.
Darnell McDonald and Mike Cameron both hit homers to score all four of the Sox' runs. Cameron's, a three-run shot to dead center in the second inning was his first of the season and, luckily, proved to be the game winner as the Sox did not score again, held largely in check by rookie Madison Bumgarner who found his rhythm quickly after the damage was done.
After Buchholz left, a combination of Scott Atchison, Ramon Ramirez, Manny Delcarmen, Dustin Richardson, Hideki Okajima, Daniel Bard, and Jonathan Papelbon held the Giants to just two runs. Manny Delcarmen was the lone member who didn't really pull his weight, allowing a run on three hits in his one inning of work.
The Sox will send Jon Lester to the mound against Tim Lincecum in a Battle of the Aces rubber game tomorrow afternoon.