The night after being named to the International League All Star team, Clay Buchholz beat the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Yankees 4-3.  Buchholz was the overall vote leader in the online fan voting part of the All Star balloting.  He deserves it; he’s 6-1 with a 2.05 ERA.  Though he won’t make the trip to Portland because he’s pitching the day before the break, PawSox closer Fernando Cabrera who is a perfect 17 for 17 in save opportunities will make the trek across the country.

Both these guys contributed to the win.  Buchholz went 7 innings giving up 3 runs.  He had 1 walk to go along with 7 strikeouts.  He threw 96 pitches, matching his season high.  Buchholz didn’t allow a base runner through 3 innings, but then the Yankees got 4 consecutive hits in the 4^th including a RBI double on a ball that Paul McAnulty lost in the haze to take a 3-1 lead.  The 3^rd inning was the only inning that the Yankees seriously threatened, only getting 2 base runners in Buchholz’s other 6 innings of work.  Cabrera made things interesting walking 2 in the 9^th inning, but got the job done.  Since becoming the closer, his ERA is a measly 0.43.

McAnulty compensated for his miscue in the field.  He went 2-2 with a homerun, a double and 2 runs scored.  He left the game in the 6^th after being hit by a pitch.  Jeff Natale came into run and he scored too.  McAnulty’s fine and Ron Jon expects him to play tomorrow.

Jed Lowrie did not play again.  He is supposed to be rehabbing after wrist surgery at the end of April.  He was hit by a pitch last week and has a nasty bruise.  He’s feeling better and should play tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Jose Molina was rehabbing for the Yankees.  He played 5 innings, going 0-2 with an RBI.  The backup catcher has been out with a strained left quad since May 8^th.  He’s expected to start again tomorrow night and then return to New York.

The PawSox host the Yankees again tomorrow before heading to Pennsylvania on Monday to continue the 5 game set.

Interesting fact:  The Red Sox lead the New York Yankees by 2.5 games in the AL East, while the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Yankees lead the PawSox by 2.5 games in the IL North.

-Becs