“A complete game is a complete game,” Buchholz said. “A shutout is a little different. It’s pretty hard to do.”
Clay had that to say the last time he pitched well enough to go a full 9 innings. That outing was much like this one, a shutout bid spoiled late. Shutouts are hard, but on a rung below that are complete games, and Buchholz came ready to pitch in this one. Jacob Nix, unfortunately, did not. He of course was coming off 6 innings of shutout ball in his major league debut. He’s a decent prospect, with Fangraphs giving him a 45 FV and innings-eater type of starter.