If the Sox are going to lose, and in such one-sided fashion, it might as well be to a former teammate.
Justin Masterson was the main part of the trade to get Victor Martinez last summer and nobody can second-guess that lopsided deal. Still, Masterson was a likable young guy that was just started to find his way in the major leagues (see: 2007 playoffs).
Going to the wasteland that is the Cleveland Indians, he has not surprisingly fallen by the wayside and seen his career go off the tracks.
For one night, all that was forgotten as he pitched the best game of his career: a two-hit shutout, his first in MLB.
Cleveland (22-36) won 11-0 last night at Progressive Field as Masterson outdueled Clay Buchholz and the Indians tacked on eight runs in the eighth off Boof Bonser and Joe Nelson who would never be confused with Ramiro Mendoz and Mariano Rivera in their prime.
Buchholz (8-4) pitched decently: seven innings, three earned runs, three hits, four walks, one strikeout.
Boston (35-26) didn't have an answer for Masterson (2-5): two walks and six strikeouts.
The Indians got the three off Buchholz with a sacrifice fly by Jhonny Peralta in the first, a run that scored on a double play ball in the third and Peralta scored on a wild pitch in the fourth.
The shit truly hit the fan in the eighth as Bonser (4 earned runs, 2 hits, 2 walks) was miserable in his return to the big leagues. Nelson wasn't any better (1 inning, 4 earned runs, 5 hits, 3 walks, 1 strikeout) and he gave up a grand slam to Travis Hafner.
Order should be restored to the universe tonight as Jon Lester opposes Mitch Talbot, another talented lefty.
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