James Paxton gets Red Sox back in win column with ace-like performance

BOSTON -- The Red Sox were riding a three-game losing streak entering Tuesday night's visit to the Guardians in Cleveland. They were in desperate need of a win following three frustrating losses to the Tampa Bay Rays back in Boston.

It didn't look like things would get any better in the early goings against the Guardians, after starter James Paxton labored through the first inning and allowed a pair of runs. The lefty needed 28 pitches to get the first three outs, an ominous start to a six-game road trip for Boston.

But then Paxton shifted into another gear and put up zeros for six straight innings. "Big Maple" cut down the Guardians with relative ease after allowing two runs off three hits in the first frame, allowing just three hits the rest of the way. He gave the Red Sox seven solid innings on Tuesday, striking out nine.

Paxton's long outing was much-needed for Boston after the bullpen was taxed against the Rays. He only grew stronger as his night went on, setting down the final seven batters that he faced in order. He had three 1-2-3 innings on the night, and got 24 swing-and-misses -- the most by any Red Sox pitcher this season.

Paxton's fastball topped out at 97.7 mph, and he was still delivering the heat in the seventh when he got Steven Kwan looking for his ninth K of the night.

Paxton took the mound for the seventh inning for the first time since September of 2019 when he was a member of the Yankees, which was his last full season before an array of injuries derailed three years of his career. 

He left the mound Tuesday trailing 2-1, but was quickly rewarded for keeping his team in the game as the Red Sox rallied for a four-run top of the eighth. The bullpen almost let Boston's 5-2 lead slip away, but ultimately hung on for the 5-4 victory.

Paxton was awarded his second win of the season in his finest performance in a Red Sox uniform. In his five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, he's been extremely solid in four of them. The 34-year-old looked ace-like on Tuesday, and has now allowed just three runs off 10 hits over his last 13 innings, 

It's given the lefty loads of confidence for the rest of the season, and on Tuesday, Paxton's gutsy performance got the Red Sox back in the win column.