Music: {allcanada} BUEHRLE, JAYS LOOK TO COOL OFF RED-HOT BUCHHOLZ

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

{allcanada} BUEHRLE, JAYS LOOK TO COOL OFF RED-HOT BUCHHOLZ

(Sports Network) - Mark Buehrle and the Toronto Blue Jays look to cool off the red-hot Clay Buchholz, when the Jays continue their current homestand against the Boston Red Sox.

Buehrle is 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA, and he absorbed the loss on Thursday in New York, as the Yankees hit him for five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Three of his first five outings lasted 5 1/3 innings or less and he has given up at least five earned runs.

"I wouldn't worry about him," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "If you look at it, really what's happened, we've struggled in all different areas. Defensively is probably the most glaring, especially early on. There have been times we haven't hit, times when we've had real good pitching and there have been times when we've struggled. We're where we should be right now to be honest with you."

Buehrle has faced the Red Sox 19 times (18 starts) and is 6-8 against them with a 4.64 ERA.

Boston, meanwhile counters with Buchholz, who has been absolutely brilliant for the Red Sox this season, winning all five of his starts, while surrendering two runs or less in each outing for an ERA of 1.19. He improved to 5-0 on Thursday against Houston, as he held the Astros to two runs and six hits in 7 2/3 frames.

The last Red Sox starter to win his first five starts was Josh Beckett, who opened 7-0 in 2007.

"Last couple of years I've been a slow starter, so it feels good to be out there and have a little bit of confidence early on, and that helps a lot," said Buchholz. "Guys are playing well behind me. Things are going right."

Buchholz's is a perfect 6-0 in his last seven starts in Toronto. Overall, he's 8-4 lifetime versus the Jays with a 2.60 ERA in 15 games (14 starts).

In Tuesday's opener, Edwin Encarnacion's second two-run homer of the evening, coming in the bottom of the seventh, was the deciding hit as Toronto eked out a 9-7 win. Colby Rasmus and J.P. Arencibia added two hits and an RBI each, while Jose Bautista scored twice and drove in a run for the Blue Jays, who put the brakes on a season-worst four-game skid.

"He's been on some kind of roll lately," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Encarnacion. "The guys showed a lot of guts today, a lot of heart. They hung tough."

Steve Delabar (2-1) gave up an unearned run in the seventh inning but was credited with the win.

David Ortiz hit safely twice and drove in four runs for the Red Sox, who fell one victory short of setting a record for the most wins in April. Mike Carp homered and Dustin Pedroia contributed two hits and an RBI in defeat.

Junichi Tazawa (2-1) served up the game-winning blast.

The Red Sox are 7-3 on the road so far this season, and that includes taking two of three in Toronto earlier this month.