Brian Johnson made sure that his spot start kept the Red Sox pitching staff on a roll, and he sent a message that he should be th primary option when the ballclub needs a fill-in starter.
The 26-year-old left-hander threw a five-hit shutout in his third major league start and the Sox extended their winning streak to six games with a 6-0 win against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park yesterday.
Johnson, making his second start of this season, struck out eight and walked none while throwing 85 strikes among his 109 pitches. He became the sixth straight Sox starter to earn a win and pitch six or more innings.