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Litsch outpitches Buchholz as Blue Jays sweep Red Sox

Sep 20, 2007 - 4:40 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Clay Buchholz grabbed the pregame headlines, but Jesse Litsch proved to be the dominant starter on Wednesday.

Litsch pitched 6 2/3 solid innings to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Russ Adams put the game out of reach with the first grand slam of his career in the eighth inning for the Blue Jays, who completed a sweep of the three-game series with the Red Sox and moved two games over .500 at 77-75.

"We played very good," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "This team has a lot of heart and a lot of character. We don't win every game, but it's not for lack of effort."

Litsch (6-9) allowed just one run and two hits while walking four and striking out one to snap a three-start losing streak and beat the Red Sox for the second time this season. The 22-year-old righthander upstaged his counterpart by keeping the ball down, recording 11 outs on the ground and not allowing a hit until J.D. Drew led off the fifth with his ninth homer of the season.

"It's great to go out and sweep these guys," Litsch said. "My big pitches were my changeup and my two-seamer. We're trying to end the season on a good note and I wanted to go out and have a good outing, which I did."

Buchholz (3-1), who became just the third pitcher in major league history to hurl a no-hitter in one of his first two starts when he stymied the Baltimore Orioles on September 1, managed to hold Toronto hitless for the first 3 2/3 frames in this one before Frank Thomas singled.

The 23-year-old righthander was making a spot start as Boston attempts to line up its rotation for the postseason, giving Daisuke Matsuzaka a few extra days off.

"I felt fine," said Buchholz, who suffered his first career loss. "I thought I was going to go out there and be a little rusty, but right off the bat I felt good with the fastball, command and secondary pitches."

He was sharp until the fifth, when he allowed four consecutive hits to begin the frame. Gregg Zaun doubled to deep right to lead off the inning and Adam Lind moved him to third with a single up the middle.

Adams followed by grounding an infield single to second base, just barely beating Buchholz to the bag to plate Zaun from third and even the game at 1-1. Ray Olmedo followed with a dribbler down the third base line, which Buchholz fielded.

The youngster then attempted to cut down the lead runner by backhanding a throw to third, but the ball sailed past the bag and down the left field line, allowing Lind to score the go-ahead run.

"He just tried to make a play that wasn't there," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "Obviously the more he pitches and competes the better he's going to feel in his surroundings."

"It was just a mental lapse, I guess," Buchholz said. "I didn't think I had a play at first so I tried to go to third. I think I would have had (Lind) if I wouldn't have double-clutched (the throw)."

Buchholz was pulled after walking Vernon Wells and striking out Matt Stairs. He was charged with two runs - one earned - and five hits while walking two and striking out five.

Boston's bullpen was victimized for the second night in a row as Mike Timlin loaded the bases with two walks - one intentional - and a hit batsman before closer Jonathan Papelbon came on and allowed Adams ' grand slam on a 95 mile-per-hour fastball.

"Tonight I blew the game," Timlin said. "It was my fault for putting (Papelbon) in that situation - he never should have been there."

"I've got to be able to bail my team out in that situation," Papelbon said. "(Adams) was just sitting on a heater and I can't walk the guy. It's just one of those situations where somebody's got to give in and unfortunately it was me."

Adams matched his career high with five RBI in the game.

"It was a good pitch to hit," Adams said. "Papelbon's got to throw a strike, and that's his strength. Fortunately I got the bat-head to one."

With the loss, the Red Sox (90-63) saw their lead in the American League East Division over the New York Yankees (88-64) reduced to 1 1/2 games. New York posted a 2-1 victory over Baltimore on Wednesday.