Tim Wakefield is Old [School]

Tim Wakefield, who will turn 43 on August 2nd, is headed to the disabled list with lower back pain. These things happen when you get old(er).

With room on their roster, the Boston Red Sox have recalled righty Clay Buchholz from the AAA Pawtucket Sox to start in Wakefield’s place tonight in the finale of their three-game series against the Texas Rangers, who just knocked the Sox out of first place in the AL East amidst a Josh Beckett complete game Tuesday.

The right-handed knuckleballer, sporting an 11-3 record with a 4.31 ERA, last pitched on July 8th against the Oakland Athletics. In that game, he surrendered three runs over six innings and got the win.

The move is retroactive to July 18th, which means Wakefield can return from the DL on his birthday. Apparently, the injury isn't serious -- according to him -- so Buchholz probably shouldn't get too comfy.

[Rotowire] | [Sports of Boston] | [Foul Territory]

Saturday's Babelicious Scoreboard: No-No Edition

We don't want to hear any of that crap like, "Oh, it was against a horrible team."

This was no piece of cake. A no-hitter is not just handed to you on a silver platter. It takes focus, spectacular pitching and great defense.

Rookie Clay Buchholz had all three when he led his Boston Red Sox in a 10-0 blanking of the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night.

The 23-year-old righty -- pitching in just his second career big league game -- threw an assortment of fastballs, changeups and a pretty nasty curve for 115 pitches. He struck out nine and walked three in the 17th no-no in Red Sox history to lower his ERA to 1.80 and better his record to 2-0. Awesome. How's he supposed to follow that up?

Let's not forget the 6th-inning pickoff of the sneaky Brian Roberts (39 SB) at first, which had the crowd going nuts already.

"It's amazing. That's all I can say," he said. "I'm in a blur right now.

Opposing pitcher Garrett Olson lasted only 5.1 innings, in which he walked five and surrendered 4 earned runs on 7 hits with 4 strikeouts.

Coco Crisp kicked off the scoring with a forceout in the second that sent Kevin Youkilis home and David Ortiz smoked a 3-run double in the fourth to make it 4-0.

This is where the newly acquired porn star by day/pitcher by night, Rocky Cherry comes in. He could only get one batter out, but managed to give up four runs of his own with 3 hits and a walk. Mike Lowell had an RBI double off him before Youk blasted a 3-run bomb to chase Cherry off the hill altogether.

Another Orioles reliever, Brian Burres tried to clean up the disaster area, but gave up a pinch-hit double to rookie sensation Jacoby Ellsbury, instead. The 23-year-old lefty is batting .350 with 3 RBIs and a stolen bag in his 8 games with Boston this season.

The 81-55 Sox now lead the AL East by 5 games over the New York Yankees. The two clubs won't see eachother again on the road to the post season until September 14th when they open a three-game set at Yankee Stadium.

[The Boston Channel]