Clay Buchholz tossed the first complete game of the season for Red Sox pitching. He was a pitch away from a shutout, but a one-run CG ain’t half bad.

The Astros were the second highest scoring offense in the league coming into yesterday, and were looking to put an end to Clay’s recent run of dominance. But they couldn’t touch him because he had a sound mind in a pure body and was strong as an ox. They couldn’t touch him because he was Tarzan, Mandrake, Flash Gordon. He was Bill Shakespeare. He was Cain, Ulysses, the Flying Dutchmen; he was Lot in Sodom, Deirdre of the Sorrows, Sweeney in the Nightingales among trees. He was miracle ingredient Z-247. He was … immense. He was a real, slam-bang, honest-to-goodness, three-fisted humdinger. He was a bona fide supraman.

Based on watching the condensed game, it looked like Clay had great depth to his changeup and had command of all of his pitches, and now has shut down the two best offenses in baseball in back-to-back games.

My favorite trio (Mookie, Brock, and Xander) got things started in the first with a walk, a single, and a single to get the Sox out to a 1-0 lead. Bogaerts continued to be fantastic with runners in scoring position, and excel at hitting the ball to the opposite field, especially with two strikes. These three did most of the damage in this one, driving in 5 of 6 runs (Mookie knocked in three).

Victorino was 2-4 with two runs scored in his return to the lineup.

Sandoval made a pretty play while positioned practically in the first base hole, and a diving play over the railing. He really is incredibly athletic for his size.

Papi got mad.

Final: 6-1.

For all of you asking “Where’s Lefty?” the answer is New Hampshire. They must not yet have internet up that way.

Happy Fourth, everyone.