Red Sox option Johnson to minors after Pedro-like start

Brian Johnson's spectacular performance on the mound for the Boston Red Sox Saturday afternoon against the Seattle Mariners didn't help him keep a big-league roster spot.

The 26-year-old left-hander, who was called-up for a spot start against Seattle, became the first Red Sox pitcher to throw a nine-inning shutout in a Fenway Park debut since Pedro Martinez on April 11, 1998, which also came against the Mariners, according to Red Sox Notes.

After basking in the glory of his gem of a game, where he allowed just five hits and struck out eight, Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Even though the move was an expected one, it surely put a damper on the day for the former first-round draft pick, who has made a total of three big-league starts in his career, although he didn't appear too bothered in his postgame comments.

"No stop signs, speed limit. Nobody's gonna slow me down," he said, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. "Like a wheel, gonna spin it."