G12: Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6

Blue Jays - 000 021 400 - 7  8  2
Red Sox   - 003 000 030 - 6  5  0

The Red Sox took an early lead on home runs from Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis and then rallied in the eighth to set the stage for a possible comeback in the ninth. But Jon Rauch quickly retired the top of the order on only 10 pitches, giving Boston its 10th loss in 12 games.

Buchholz (5-3-3-5-3, 94) started the evening by walking two of the first three batters, but after a lull while the umpires reviewed a possible home run down around the Pesky Pole by Adam Lind (it was ruled a foul ball), he settled down, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters.

Toronto's first four runs were scored by guys who had walked. Buchholz walked the Jays' #8 and #9 hitters in the fifth and they scored on Corey Patterson's triple. Another HH BB scored on Travis Snider's double off Felix Doubront.

After walking the leadoff hitter in the seventh, Bobby Jenks -- who had not allowed a hit all season (14 batters over four innings) -- allowed singles to four of the next five Jays to put Boston in a 7-3 hole.

In the bottom of the eighth, lefty Marc Rzepczynski retired Adrian Gonzalez, but walked Youkilis and David Ortiz. After he struck out J.D. Drew, he wild-pitched the runners to second and third. With two outs, Jed Lowrie pinch-hit for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and singled one run home on a grounder behind the bag at third. Casey Janssen came in to face Marco Scutaro and Scutaro banged a double off the Wall for two more runs. With the tying run at second, Jacoby Ellsbury ended the inning with a first-pitch fly out to right.

In the ninth, Carl Crawford (0-for-5) struck out on three pitches, and was booed by the remaining fans. Pedroia grounded to short and Gonzalez grounded to first.

Brett Cecil / Clay Buchholz

First of four games against John Farrell's Blue Jays, including Monday's Patriots Day 11 AM start.

There is not much Terry Francona can do to spark the Red Sox, but he could -- and should -- make Jed Lowrie the starting shortstop. Repeating what I posted two days ago:

          PA   AVG   OBP   SLG    OPS
Lowrie    18  .438  .500  .563  1.063
Scutaro   33  .172  .273  .207   .480

Lowrie 194 OPS+ would be 7th in the AL if he had enough qualifying plate appearances. Lowrie also had the third-best OPS (.907) on the team last year (in 197 PA).

AL East:

Yankees    7   4   ---
Orioles    6   5   1.0
Blue Jays  6   6   1.5
Rays       4   8   3.5
Red Sox    2   9   5.0

7 PM: Rangers/Yankees; Orioles/Cleveland; Twins/Rays