Red Sox set rotation for ALCS
Clay Buchholz and Jon Lackey will start Games 2 and 3 of the American League Championship Series for the Boston Red Sox against the Detroit Tigers, manager John Farrell announced Friday.
Jon Lester will start the opener on Saturday. Buchholz will pitch Game 2 in Fenway Park and Lackey will follow in Game 3 in Detroit. Buchholz and Lackey pitched in reverse order during the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
They will be followed by right-hander Jake Peavy in Game 4 on Wednesday in Detroit.
Lackey was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the ALDS against Tampa Bay. He worked 5 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs and seven hits in the Red Sox's 7-4 victory. Buchholz started Game 3 at Tampa Bay and had a no-decision in a 5-4 Boston loss, pitching six innings and allowing seven hits and three earned runs.
"We had some extra days to adjust without bringing anyone back on short rest," Farrell said, according to ESPN.com. "We felt like with Clay falling in behind Jon, it gives us a contrast of style. And that would be the case with John Lackey as well. We felt like we could get some additional work done with Lackey today.
"I thought Clay threw the ball well in his start (against the Rays). That's not to say John Lackey's start was less than (Buchholz's). He pitched us to a win against Tampa Bay in Game 2. But with the rotation going forward the first two days, we feel good about where we are."
Tigers manager Jim Leyland's rotation is set with right-handers Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Doug Fister.
