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DET@BOS: Buchholz hurls eight innings of one-run ball

After a rough start, right-hander Clay Buchholz has turned things around. For a Red Sox rotation that's been inconsistent recently, Buchholz's resurgence is certainly welcome.

Since May 27, Buchholz is 5-1 with a 2.44 ERA. The Red Sox are 12-6 when he takes the mound, compared to 15-25 when Josh Beckett and Jon Lester start. Buchholz will get another chance to show his improvement when the Red Sox take on the Twins on Saturday in the third game of a four-game series at Fenway Park.

"I feel good," Buchholz said. "You've got to have a little bit of confidence. Going out there and throwing well builds confidence and adds to what you already have."

His only start against the Twins in 2012 was shaky. He gave up five runs on 10 hits against Minnesota on April 25, but earned the win when Boston tallied seven runs in support.

After a four-game winning streak, the Red Sox have lost their last three, including the first two games against the Twins.

Right-hander Cole De Vries takes the mound for Minnesota. On July 30 against the White Sox, De Vries went five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. De Vries also threw 100 pitches for the first time in his career, enduring a four-run first inning.

"I dug myself into a pretty good hole there," De Vries said. "It was one of those games where I didn't pitch as well as I could've, obviously."

De Vries, out of the University of Minnesota, made his Major League debut May 24 and has a 3.98 in 10 appearances (nine starts). He has never faced the Red Sox.

Twins: Plouffe not likely to return before Thursday
Third baseman Trevor Plouffe, on the disabled list since July 21 with a bruised right thumb, is unlikely to return until the Twins get back from their road trip, when ends on Wednesday in Cleveland.

Plouffe is eligible to return from the DL on Sunday. He took some swings Thursday, but the thumb still bothered him.

"I don't know how comfortable he was swinging the bat [Thursday]," assistant general manager Rob Antony said. "I think there's still some soreness, but I would doubt he'll join us in Cleveland. That's uncertain, but probably not as optimistic as we were a day ago. Until he can swing without any pain in that thumb, I don't think he'll be rejoining us."

A rehab assignment may also be a part of Plouffe's future.

• Ben Revere has a 17-game hitting streak, batting .355 with five doubles, one triple and 10 RBIs. The Twins have had four different 15-game hitting streaks this season, the most in the Majors.

Red Sox: Gonzalez hot on the homestand
After a subpar start, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has come on since late June. He's also been hot in Boston's first five games of the homestand.

With a single and a walk in four at-bats Friday, Gonzalez is 7-for-16 with four walks and five runs against the Tigers and Twins. He's walked in four straight games after going 29 games without a free pass.

Gonzalez, a four-time All-Star, is batting .302 on the season.

"It's been a steady climb, he's back over .300, hitting the ball hard to all fields and having good at-bats," manager Bobby Valentine said. "He looks good."

Worth noting
• Boston is 18-12 against teams from the American League Central. They are 35-42 against teams from every other division.

• After Friday's loss in 10 innings, the Red Sox are 0-4 in extras at home.

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