TORONTO - Mark Buehrle doesn't care how many hits he gives up as long as he's keeping runs off the scoreboard.
The Blue Jays' starting pitcher gave up 10 hits over seven innings
but allowed just one run on Thursday as Toronto edged Boston 2-1 for its
second win in a row.
"Sometimes it's frustrating because they hit the crap out of the ball
on their outs and then they don't hit it pretty hard and they find
holes," said Buehrle. "But look, it was a great game. We came back late.
"You try to throw up zeroes as long as you can and try to give your offence a chance and that's exactly what happened tonight."
The win improved Buehrle's record to 9-7 and snapped a four-game losing streak against the Red Sox that dates back to 2009.
"I know I've struggled against them," said the veteran left-hander.
"You've got to have everything going your way. You got to have runs
scored for you, you got to have defence behind you, bullpen's got to
save the lead.
"Again, a win's a win. Don't really matter against who it is. A win's a win, it feels good."
Toronto (56-65) struggled to get hits off Boston starter Jake Peavy
(9-5). He struck out four and gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits
over six innings of work.
The Red Sox (72-51) had no trouble getting on base, but struggled to
bring home their runners, stranding 12 on base. Dustin Pedroia and
Daniel Nava led Boston with three hits each.
"Tonight, the story is left on base. We created a number of
opportunities," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "I thought we had a
very good approach against Buehrle to build those opportunities, and
then he made a number of quality pitches with men in scoring position."
Peavy was in firm control for the first six innings of the game,
giving up just two hits and striking out four as Boston held on to a 1-0
lead.
But the Blue Jays figured Peavy out in the seventh. Jose Bautista
earned an infield single when Will Middlebrooks misplayed the ball at
third base. Edwin Encarnacion's single up the middle then advanced
Bautista to second.
Brett Lawrie drove Bautista home with another single to centre field, advancing Encarnacion to third with no outs. read more