Sox relying on Buchholz in must-win Game 3

CLEVELAND — Clay Buchholz’s year was like a winding country road, filled with lows, highs and plenty of unexpected twists. It has delivered him here, with the Red Sox — down 0-2 and on the brink of elimination after Friday’s 6-0 loss — putting their trust in the right-hander for a crucial Game 3 start (Sunday on TBS, 4 p.m. ET) against the Indians in the American League Division Series.

Bounced to the bullpen on three separate occasions, Buchholz made it through to the other side with his confidence intact, having embraced those demotions as an opportunity to fine-tune his mechanics. The rewards finally came toward the end of the regular season, as Buchholz won four of his final seven starts while posting a 2.63 ERA over that stretch.

“I’m glad this year happened the way it did,” Buchholz said. “I’ve stuttered a couple times now in my career, and I’m still here. There’s been a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts,’ but I’ve still found a way to stick around, and I think this postseason run will be fun.”

Game Date Time Matchup TV/Highlights Gm 1 Oct. 6   CLE 5, BOS 4 Gm 2 Oct. 7 4:30 p.m. BOS @ CLE TBS Gm 3 Oct. 9 4 p.m. CLE @ BOS …

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