Not much needs to be said, but this is a HUGE series. The WC lead is at 1/2 game over the Rangers and the 3 pitchers going are Lester/Penny/Tazawa, I think 2 of 3 is do-able, but just dont get swept. Lester NEEDS to step up again tomorrow like the last few starts, but more importantly the offense needs to score some runs for him.
As a side, the Sox may have found themselves their 3rd starter for the rest of the year in Clay Buchholz. He seems to have re-established himself as a groundball pitcher, so far this year he has induced 65 GB outs compared to 43 flyball outs and it was a trend in the minors this year too. The strikeouts will come as he gets a ton of swing and misses, but he seems to be pitching to contact. He clearly needs to cut down on the walks but i think that will come as he gets more comfortable. Him and Victor Martinez seem to work well together, which ontop of helping Buchholz also helps keep Varitek out of the lineup more often.
His changeup is as good as ever, but the biggest difference is his 2 seam fastball, its regularly been 92-94 with a ton of movement. The days of people saying his fastball is too straight are over, he barely throws his straight 4 seamer anymore because it was getting crushed. I know its hard to cut out a start but if you take out his Baltimore start his ERA is just over 3 so far. I think he is on the verge of becoming the very good starter we all hoped he could be, not a true ace but a [dang] good pitcher.
