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Recap: Jays squeeze out 3-2 win

And just like that, all the momentum the Sox should have had after Lester's outing has been squelched.

Buchholz wasn't great today, but he was certainly good enough.  8 IP 6 hits 3 BB 4 K's Prior to this season, you'd take that outing every time out from Clay.  This season, it's a little rough.  Regardless, the Sox were facing Mark Buehrle (he of the 7+ ERA), and the awful Jays defense, and should have been able to tag him for a handful of runs.  That didn't happen.

The Sox didn't get on the board until the 8th, already down 2 at that point.  Ellsbury tripled, bringing home David Ross (who was walked by Buehrle before he was pulled).  Ellsbury came home thanks to yet another Blue Jays error.  Tied game. 

Enter Tazawa.  First batter he faced was Adam Lind, who homered to center.  That was the winning run.  Middlebrooks doubled to lead off the bottom of the 9th, but (stop me if you've heard this before) Boston batters couldn't drive him home.  Ballgame.

Ortiz got a hit, so that's a plus.  But the bottom of the lineup didn't fare so well.  The 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th batters (Napoli, Gomes, Drew, Ross) all went hitless with Middlebrooks' 2 doubles sandwiched between them.  Nava came in as a pinch hitter for Ross in the 9th, but didn't have any luck, popping up. 

I feel like I've written the same thing 4 times in a row, but the Sox inablity to bring runners home is a real problem.   If they can fix that, the sky is the limit.  But fix it they must.

BOX SCORE | Photo: AP /Michael Dwyer

Your Morning Dump... Where Lester changes the momentum

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

The one-hitter, the complete game, the shutout, the perfect game through 52⁄3 innings, the six-pitch first inning, the pinpoint command of his fastball, the ground balls and weak swings he got on his two-seam fastball and changeup, his exploitation of an all-jacked-up-on-Mountain-Dew Blue Jays lineup: There was a great deal to admire about Jon Lester’s performance at Fenway Park last night.

Above all else, however, was that Lester put a stop to a Red Sox three-game slide and 3-6 start to May that was beginning to feel like a premature June swoon.

Last night, Lester bent down, picked the team up, and for at least one shining moment, reminded us all in a 5-0 win that this team can look like (and just may be) a very good team — especially when it gets starting pitching like that.

In a season in which Lester has been very good but Clay Buchholz has been a bit better, Lester put out his best effort when the team needed it the most.

That’s what stoppers do.

Herald - John Lester’s gem just what staggering Red Sox needed

As I stated in my recap last night, the best part of Lester's performance is that it whitewashes all the other nonsense surrounding the team at this moment.  I know it's only temporary.  The Sox have another game to play today.  Guys are still hurt.  Shaughnessy isn't going to just let himself fade from the spotlight; he'll try to keep dragging this Ortiz-PED thing around for a while longer, despite the fact that NO ONE wants to have that conversation right now.   

Now it's up to everyone else to keep that momentum going.  The Sox have to feel pretty good heading into today's game.  Buchholz is taking the mound, having thrown 7 innings of 2 hit ball against the Jays just 10 days ago.  You can't expect those types of numbers every time you face a team, but his confidence has to be pretty high.

It's really up to the offense to start picking up their play.  Hits haven't been a problem for them, it's getting those men home.  A large chunk of that has to fall on Papi's shoulders.  After coming out of the gates blazing, he hasn't had a multi-hit game all month (or any hits over his past 13 at-bats).  Napoli, who was an RBI machine the first month of the season is struggling to drive in runs too.  He has 5 RBIs in May, but 4 of those came on May 1st.  Those two guys are the key to making this work.

Rest of the links:

Herald - David Nava stepping up to star role | Jon Lester 1-hitter puts punctuation on win | Globe - Jon Lester nearly perfect in Red Sox’ 5-0 win over Blue Jays | Hanrahan weighing decision on surgery | WEEI - Jon Lester’s nearly perfect game highlights pitching growth since 2008 | Source: Will Middlebrooks playing with separated rib | CSNNE - Stars nearly align for Lester in one-hitter | Game Day Notes: Salty will have changeup nightmares

Clay Buchholz is not using sunscreen and rosin

I'm ready for this story to be over, along with everyone else except a couple of dumb ass Toronto radio personalities.

Clay Buchholz is saying he wasn't using sunscreen, though he has used it in the past, for sunny day games. You know, to be safe.

Herald:

“I’ve used it in the past, but that wasn’t on my arm at any time this season,’’ Buchholz said. “Day games, you put sunscreen on. That’s what you do. You put sunscreen on.”

He said the issue boils down to slick baseballs.

“If nobody has ever touched a Major League Baseball, most of the time it’s really slick for the simple fact they rub it with that mud, and when it sits in a bag all it feels is like a ball of dust,’’ Buchholz said. “If it’s going to your mouth and wiping it off to get a grip on the ball, or going to your arm because you have rosin on your arm, or put the rosin on your arm, that’s what it’s meant for.’’

Clay is ready to put this in the past, and it may be playing a bit of a game in his head. He is letting it get to him instead of just shaking it off.

David Ross weighed in too:

“I don’t really know what to say to that,’’ the catcher said. “I know in ‘Major League’ guys were accused of putting jalapeno on their nose and rubbing snot on the ball. I don’t know where they’re getting the sunscreen from, but if (Yahoo) has any tips for our guys, we’d love to hear what works better, like BullFrog or what SPF might work better.

“We’re just trying to win ballgames here, not worry about how bright the sun is or what SPF we need.”

Hey, David, maybe you should be a little more concerned about what SPF you need. That July sun is brutal.

Buchholz is preventing skin cancer while getting a better grip

 

It looks like we have found an answer to what is on Clay's arm. Sunscreen and rosin. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports has done some research, and has found out that nearly every pitcher in the league does it.

Two veteran pitchers and one source close to the Red Sox told Yahoo! Sports that about 90 percent of major league pitchers use some form of spray-on sunscreen – almost always BullFrog brand – that when combined with powdered rosin gives them a far superior grip on the ball.

"Sunscreen and rosin could be used as foundation for houses," one American League pitcher said. "Produces a tack, glue-like substance that engineers would be jealous of."

[...]

 

MLB says the balls, dirtied up with Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud, are the same as ever.

"There have been no changes to our procedures for the preparation of baseballs," MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said, adding that "we would look into any foreign substance that's being used to doctor a ball."

Seeing as sunscreen is neither foreign nor changing the properties of a ball, BullFrog users look to be safe for now. And good thing.

Now that makes sense. Getting a better grip on the ball makes sense for Clay's pitching repertoire than greasing the ball up.

I doubt this will lead to the banning of sunscreen. I mean, you need to take all of the necessary steps to prevent skin cancer during extended exposure to the sun. Don't know why he needs it in Toronto when the roof is closed. Oh, that's right, we know exactly why he needs it.

As far as I am concerned, Clay Buchholz is doing a great thing. Preventing skin cancer and getting a better grip on the ball with the use of the sunscreen that is not banned. Might as well do as everyone else is and has been doing...as long as it is legal...

MLB will be watching Buchholz closely tonight

@nickcafardo

Come on. I had forgotten about this situation for a couple of days, and thought we heard the last of it last week. Now the league and umps will have Clay Buchholz under a microscope tonight to make sure he isn't "cheating".

Lou Merloni (@LouMerloni), just said it perfectly on the Mut & Merloni show on WEEI, He doesn't have the stuff that will be helped with Vaseline or Crisco. His fastball won't be any faster and his curve ball would certainly be worse if he has that stuff on his arm.

It is rosin...that's it! The league is just wasting their time.

Your Morning Dump...where Buchholz is accused of cheating

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

As Scott mentioned in our recap of last night's game, a major storyline developed throughout the broadcast. Toronto analysts Dick Hayhurst and Jack Morris accused Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz of cheating, after they spotted him rubbing his fingers on his left arm on a substance of some sort.

The allegation was made by Toronto television analyst Dirk Hayhurst, a former major league pitcher who told radio station Sportsnet 590 The Fan that Buchholz was “absolutely” cheating during his start Wednesday night against the Blue Jays.

The station’s website provided screenshots of Buchholz wiping two fingers on his right hand across his left forearm, which appeared to be partially covered with a white substance.

Hayhurst also leveled accusations via Twitter. “Forget the hair, I just saw video of Buchholz loading the ball with some Eddie Harris worthy slick’em painted up his left forearm. Wow.’’

“You could see it slathered on there,” he tweeted.

Asked Thursday if he were upset by the allegations, Buchholz said, “Not at all. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I definitely don’t think if I’d given up nine runs in 2⅓ innings it would have been an issue. That’s my guess. I don’t know. It is what it is.”

With all the publicity the accusations have created, Major League Baseball might at least take a look at the video. But will there be enough evidence to prove anything?

Buchholz explained his game routine.

“Before every start, I pat rosin on my arm, go up and get stretched,” Buchholz said. “They said I had something in my hair? It’s the bottle of water I pour over me between each inning. They don’t want you licking your fingers on the mound so it’s a way to have moisture. I wipe it off every time I touch my hair.

“Every pitcher puts rosin on. That’s why it’s there. It is what it is.”

Globe: Buchholz accused of cheating

Listen, I'm not going to sit here and act like an expert about the specifics of what a pitcher is or isn't allowed to "apply" during a game. Although it's legal, I find it a little strange that Buchholz places rosin on his left arm.

Isn't that the whole point of placing the rosin bag on the mound? Maybe he puts it on his arm so he can keep his quick pace going?

Since this has been publicized so much, MLB will obviously take a look at Buchholz's recent starts and will most likely issue a statement. If MLB concludes that Buchholz was in fact not cheating, shouldn't Hayhurst and Morris be punished? That's a hefty accusation to be throwing out on a TV broadcast based on such little evidence, not to mention the fact that zero teams have asked to look at the ball Buchholz was using.

NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley may have delievered enough punishment already with this shot:

"I think Jack Morris should zip it. I feel sorry for Buchholz to even have to deal with this. I’m styling here, and you’re taking away from me, a guy that can’t even make it to the Hall of Fame yet, and he’s chirping over there — zip it.”

Ouch! That's gotta sting Jack. 1-0 Eck.

Rest of the links - Globe: This time, Hanrahan replaces Bailey | Globe: Dempster enjoys return to Canada | Globe: More progress fro Victorino; more trouble for Bard | Herald: Ryan Dempster right at home as Red Sox top Blue Jays | Herald: Clay Buchholz defends self | Herald: Mike Napoli ‘can’t wait’ for Texas return | CSNNE.com: Dempster 'good enough' against Blue Jays | CSNNE.com: Bailey sidelined with 'biceps discomfort'

Your Morning Dump...where Clay's having a once in a generation start

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump. 

Can we say it now? Why not? Juan Nieves did.

"He's as talented as any of the upper-echelon guys," theRed Sox pitching coach stated after his team's 10-1 win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre.

Six starts into the 2013 season we can make the declaration: Clay Buchholz is one of the best pitchers in baseball.

WEEI: Buchholz one of the best in the business

You might have missed it last night with the Celtics and the Bruins in the midst of their playoff battles. No big deal you only missed a dominant Clay Buchholz: Seven innings of two hit ball, allowing just three walks and striking out eight. 

Buchholz is now 6-0 with 1.01 ERA, which is pretty remarkable on any level but when you remember how bad he was at this time last season (8.69 ERA), it really puts it over the top. This is the best start for a Sox pitcher since Roger Clemens went 6-0 with a 0.73 ERA in 1991. Buchholz is also leading the Majors in inning pitched (44 2/3) and 4th in strikeouts (47). Again, this is the same guy who couldn't get anybody out last year and now he's doing his best imitation of another Sox legend, Pedro Martinez. He's even got his long hair dripping wet like Pedro's jeri curl. 

There was hope that Buchholz would get back on track and get back to the form that he had in 2010 when it appeared he was destined for great things. Not only has he succeeded in regaining that form, he's taken the next step. Through six starts, you can put him up against Felix Hernandez as the best in baseball right now. This is Clay's true potential and what everybody inside the Red Sox organization has been waiting for. And what an incredible sight it is to see. 

 

Rest of the Links: Sox crush Jays | Napoli's homers lift Sox | Sox are overpowering | Herald: Clay on top of his game | Stephen Drew story takes thrilling turn | Long shots just Napoli being Manny | CSNNE: Boston Mangler | Buchholz, Napoli lead Sox to 10-1 win | McAdam: Ortiz's torrid start one of a kind | Sox start something to savior | WEEI: Clay dominant again | Napoli, Sox rout Jays 

Recap: Sox soar 10-1, Buchholz continues domination

The Red Sox soared past the Blue Jays 10-1 to earn their 19th victory of their young season.

Clay Buchholz is once again the headline of yet another game. By the way, we all must bow to his strong efforts to grow a beard. Peach fuzz and all, Buch looks like he's got a career in porno ahead of him with that thing growing.

Back to the game; Buchholz was flat out eletric. His two-seamer and his curveball had serious life, buckling many batters' knees. I still can't get over how far this kid has progressed. Right now, he has the stuff, command, and composure of a top MLB ace. He's been that good.

Buchholz finished the night throwing seven innings and allowing two hits, three walks, eight punch-outs, and no earned runs.

It was a true display of power for the offense tonight, as Stephen Drew, Daniel Nava, Mike Carp, and Mike Napoli (twice) all went yard. It's encouraging to see Drew take several of his hits for power this season opposite field, as his first homer of the season was crushed into the right field stands.  Also, Papi narrowly missed an opposite shot himself as it just bounced near the top of the left field wall.

Additionally, Will Middlebrooks looks to be trending upward since he was lowered in the order. He's currently 8 of 23 (.347) in his last six games. If he can keep this going, look out during his next homestand at Fenway.

All in all, the Sox put this one out of reach quick. Ryan Dempster counters Josh Joshson in the series finale tomorrow at 7:07pm.

Quick note: you gotta love these Toronto fans. What a piece of work. I know I wrote about this last month, but I can't get over how short a leash they give this team. What was that, about 18,000? Patheitic fanbase.

BOXSCORE

Your Morning Dump...where Buchholz is locked in

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

After allowing two runs in 7 2⁄3 innings of last night’s easy-breezy 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros, Buchholz became the majors’ first five-game winner. His ERA is 1.19, lowest for a Red Sox pitcher through five starts since Roger Clemens in 1991. And he leads the league with 372⁄3 innings pitched and ranks second with 39 strikeouts.

Then, look deeper. Focus on the early innings last night, when Buchholz realized he lacked command of his signature two-seam fastball, the pitch that sinks and causes hitters to swing over it. So, he simply turned to a four-seam heater and racked up 10 strikeouts, one shy of his season high.

In past years, Buchholz isn’t sure he would’ve made that adjustment.

“Probably not,” he said. “That was one thing that I worked really hard on was having both fastballs and being able to locate them and pitch off that. It’s a little different not having a two-seam to throw whenever I want. It was tough to get to that point at certain spots, but I was able to find a way to get through a couple innings.”

Herald: Clay Buccholz in control

I said it from the beginning...this is Clay Buchholz's "do or die" season. For years, we've heard about his amazing potential and promises that he would blossom into an ace. Now, it's happening right in front of our eyes. If Cy Young Awards were handed out at the end of each month, Buchholz would be the runaway winner for April.

His "stuff" is one thing, but his command of the strike zone this season is flat-out stellar. It's really incredible to witness how far Buchholz has come along. Clearly, John Farrell has an major influence on not only Buccholz, but the pitching staff as a whole.

However, like any pitcher, Buchholz will go through a rough stretch at some point this year; it's only normal. So don't say I didn't warn you. In the meantime, enjoy the ride Sox fans. This kid is finally entertaining to watch. Red Sox fans finally have an ace worthy of circling their calenders for.

Rest of the links - Globe: Beginning to believe in Red Sox’ hot start | Globe: Sox rout Houston Astros, 7-2, in series opener at Fenway Park | Herald: David Ortiz back in a big way | Herald: Daniel Bard gets through drama-free | Herald: Ryan Lavarnway on the level | Herald: More expected of Alfredo Aceves | CSNNE.com: Ortiz getting back in the swing, to Sox' delight | CSNNE.com: Buchholz 'efficient' after a rough beginning | CSNNE.com: Back issues sideline Victorino once again

Recap: Buchholz leads way in win over Houston

Clay Buchholz became the first major league pitcher to reach five wins on the year, going 7 2/3 innings for the Sox in a 7-2 win over the University of Houston Astros tonight at Fenway.

Buchholz was sharp for the most part, yielding both runs early before settling in and mowing down Houston. He once again notched 10 strikeouts, and used just 119 pitches to get all the way into the 8th inning. His ERA climbed to 1.19 on the year. I guess we can handle that.

I wasn't wild about Farrell trotting him out there for the 8th. Buchholz has pitched more than 92 innings just twice in six professional seasons (five if you want to discount three appearances in 2007) and is pretty slight of build. He's also battled consistency issues. I'd rather not take the chance that he's going to wear down by June or July and either lose his effectiveness or get a little dead arm going.

Three points of note about this game:

1. The Red Sox offense jumped on Astros starter Phillip Humber, scoring four runs in the 1st. It's kind of an obvious statement, but I love when teams can get out and score early. The inning was also a testament to the lineup's depth, as Pedroia, Ortiz, Carp, and Salty all got RBIs in the effort.

2. David Ortiz continued his hot hitting with three hits, including his first homer of the year. Off the bat it didn't look like he got all of it, but it just kept carrying out to dead-center. Also worth mentioning that Papi was moving decently on the bases. He's still the slowest guy on the team -- maybe even slower than ex-pat Adrian Gonzalez -- but he wasn't grimacing or hobbling as badly as he has been.

3. Daniel Bard made his first appearance of the year and was perfectly adequate. He gave up on hit -- a hard-hit ball to right field -- but didn't let things get carried away and finished it off. You can't have a much more easy-going situation in the majors than a non-save situation at home against the Astros, so it's good to see him be able to settle in and just focus on pitching.

The Sox climb to 15-7 on the year and continue hosting the Astros Saturday with Felix Doubront on the bump.

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