BALTIMORE — Yesterday I posted that Clay Buchholz might have found something in his delivery which could lead to bigger and better things. Back to the drawing board.

After their 11-6 loss to the Orioles, Wednesday night, Boston is now 3-12 in Buchholz starts, and 70-39 when everybody else starts. Buchholz will be on an eight-game losing streak, the longest since Frank Castillo’s 2002 horror show.

To see some post-game reaction from Buchholz, who was sent to Double A Portland following the game, CLICK HERE.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Buchholz threw 60 pitches (30 strikes) over 2 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on three hits with three walks. We could go on, but it isn’t all that interesting. The simple fact is that Buchholz has to rediscover his confidence before this becomes a Craig Hansen-esque progression. Speaking of Hansen, he has pitched in six games with Pittsburgh, notching a 2.70 ERA with a 1.82 batting average against, although he has walked six in 6.2 innings.

Getting your mind off the obvious, before the game talk turned to some of the best pickoff moves in the game. Before some of the doubts he is laboring with entered his mind, Buchholz was one of the best for a righty. Red Sox manager Terry Francona identified Chris Michalak and Ed Vosberg, both lefties, as two of the best he has seen. But which righty had the best move?

The answer might be Jamey Wright, who surpassed Jack McDowell for the most pickoffs by a right-handed pitcher, this season, notching his 54th. As for Buchholz, Red Sox manager Terry Francona mentioned again after the game about how even the young hurler’s pickoff move wasn’t all there compared to last season, but the coaching staff hesitated to harp on the righty throwing over at ill-advised moments for fear of heaping even more pressure on his already seemingly overloaded shoulders.

Two things from the game you might be wondering about. First, Coco Crisp’s attempt at Ramon Hernandez’ homer over the centerfield wall in which the outfielder leaped onto, and then over, the fence, flipping himself over the barrier. After missing the ball by what he estimated was about six inches, Crisp immediately sprung off the base behind the ball and back on to the field.

“I knew it was padded,” said Crisp of what awaited him behind the wall, “I’m no daredevil.”

And then there was Alex Cora warming up in the bullpen during the eighth inning, with the Red Sox trailing by six runs. Francona said that if the Sox hadn’t scored in the eighth, it was likely Cora would make an appearance. The infielder hadn’t pitched since high school, but he had warmed up before.

Cora warmed up on Aug. 18, 2005 in Anaheim as reliever Mike Remlinger was giving up five runs in two innings. “I didn’t feel that great,” the infielder said of his warm-up tosses.

Jason Bay’s 430-foot, solo home run came on a 3-1 pitch and was his fourth homer with the Red Sox, and 26th overall. By the way, Bay’s sister’s Canadian national softball team was eliminated from the Olympics Tuesday.

BALTIMORE — Dustin Pedroia had never been thrown out of game. Not in Little League, high school, college, the minor leagues, or his relatively brief major league career.

His temper had led him away from a promising tennis career in his pre-teen years, and an occasional remark to the men in blue might have cropped up from time to time, but the until line had never been crossed.

So when home plate umpire Bob Davidson handed Pedroia’s first career ejection in the eighth inning Tuesday night, you had an idea there might be something more than the obvious at play. And there was. The Red Sox second baseman had had enough of what he perceived has been a season full of uneven umpiring.

“I’m usually in control about stuff like that. But this year the umpires have taken control over the time of the game and stuff like that, and that affects our results,” Pedroia said. “If I have a good at-bat and the umpire dictates whether I’m out or safe, it’s frustrating. And they don’t care, they have no one to answer to and I think that’s a shame.”

The primer for Pedroia’s reaction to a season of umpiring, which more than just the second-year second baseman has muttered about, came when he was caught off guard by first base umpire Alfonso Marquez’ judgment that Pedroia had swung on a check swing. After running halfway down the line, the infielder was shocked to learn of Marquez’ decision, shooting a reaction his way.

Marquez took a somewhat proactive response to Pedroia’s disapproval; simulating the swing he thought the Sox batter made. So, after grounding out, Pedroia passed along his thoughts while running by Davidson. The home plate ump proceeded to toss the Boston hitter while he was jogging toward the Red Sox dugout.

“It was just one of those deals where I checked my swing, was going to first and I didn’t think I swung. I just looked up and heard the crowd’s reaction and (Marquez) kind of showed me up with the swing,” Pedroia said. “It was very unprofessional by him. You just don’t do that. I ended up grounding out and kind of held my composure until I got to home plate and the home plate umpire, who was horrendous all night, I had choice words for him and he threw me out of the game.”

“There are certain guys who have been great all year, but a case like (Tuesday) night there was no need to show a player up like that. I know I’ve only been in the big leagues a year and a half, but there’s no need for that. I’ve never done anything to him, so he shouldn’t respond like to players. We’re all professionals here and if he feels the need to show people up he shouldn’t be doing this. He needs to be more professional.

“I’ve never run into a situation like that. That was very unprofessional of that guy. I don’t know if Major League Baseball is going to step in and say Hey you can’t be treating players like that. I walk back to the dugout and the guy throws me out and I’m not even looking at him. There’s two cases. If both teams are on the umpires all game there’s obviously something wrong. I don’t think 50 players are wrong and every coach is wrong. It’ s obvious they’re wrong. You see it all around the major leagues. It’s a part of the game.”

While the run-in offered another first for Pedroia, it was the bigger picture when it came to the umpires’ approach since beginning of May. The notion that the umpires have expanded their strike zone in order to move games along has lived with the Red Sox for some time. 

But while many of the members of a Red Sox lineup have been disgruntled concerning the umpires limiting their trademark patient approach, players like Pedroia haven’t been standing idly by. The second baseman is just one of virtually an entire group of starters who have been swinging at the first pitch more this year than last.

Kevin Youkilis, for example, is swinging at the first pitch 15.2 percent of the time this year, compared to 11.2 percent a season ago.

“I think guys’ approach at the plate have changed,” said Pedroia. “I’m more aggressive, absolutely. I’m not going to get myself into a situation where an umpire is going to dictate whether I’m out or safe. That’s how you have to do it now until they go back to the regular zone, I guess.”

BALTIMORE – Julio Lugo couldn’t hide his disappointment while sitting in front of his locker before Wednesday night’s game.

He had been progressing from a severely strained left quadriceps muscle faster than anticipated, and was scheduled to take batting practice with the team in Toronto over the weekend. But then, early Wednesday afternoon while doing sprints at Camden Yards Lugo suffered a setback.

After what he classified as “four good” sprints, Lugo pulled up lame on the fifth one, ending the recent momentum he had built during his rehab.

 ”I tried to push it a little bit, to see where I could go, and I got a pull,” said Lugo, clearly dejected. “Same spot. Not good.

“I’m worried.”

Lugo initially suffered the quad injury on July 11 while running out a ninth inning grounder. His primary replacement, rookie Jed Lowrie, entered Wednesday night hitting .314 while not having made an error in 46 games.

“Now it’s hurt, and it’s been hurt before, so now it’s more damaged than what it used to be,” he said. “It’s not to the extent of the first time, but this is going to cause me to wait even longer.”

If ever there was a lesson to be learned, it is don’t cover your body in magnets. Former Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu used to do it and look where it got him … arrested.

Irabu was taken to the pokey in Osaka, Japan yesterday after drinking 20 mugs of beer, getting his credit card rejected, and ultimately going nutty on a bartender. The good news? He paid the bill with another card. The bad? He had to do it from jail.

Hideki Irabu, I knew Daisuke Matsuzaka, and you’re NO Daisuke Matsuzaka.

This 180 degree observation was reaffirmed Tuesday night when Matsuzaka improved to 15-2. Red Sox media relations machine Henry Mahegan was on fire last night throughout the Red Sox’ 7-2 win over the Orioles, coming up with a barrage of Daisuke nuggets. (Speaking of which, you should check out our own Gary from Chapel Hill’s latest post.)

Matsuzaka threw 105 pitches, 60 for strikes in going five innings, allowing six hits, and two runs. He also walked five, which gave Matsuzaka the most wins with five or more walks (6) of any American League pitcher since Texas’ Bobby Witt won eight games with five or more walks in 1987. It was the most wins with five or more walks by a Sox hurler since Mickey McDermott had eight in 1953.

Who is McDermott? Just know that he once punched out a reporter and won a $7 million lottery ticket. Haven’t we all?

More Matsuzaka: Opponents are now 0 for 14 against him with the bases loaded this season. The win was his 30th career victory, the most by a Japanese pitcher in his first two seasons, passing Hideo Nomo, who won 29 games in 1995-96.

Here are some notable links before I head over to fill in from 10-2 on the audio portion of this juggernaut we call WEEI:

- As we noted yesterday, the Sox signed former Houston outfielder Jason Lane yesterday. Steve Krasner caught up with both Lane and Kyle Snyder, talking potential Sept. call-up.

- The Red Sox Monster gives our latest Will Leitch column some love.

- Nobody makes a Fenway Park entrance like Dave McGillvary, the man who runs as many miles as he is years old on each birthday.

- Vegas starts talking about what you were thinking: Kevin Youkilis has entered the MVP discussion.

- The big winner from the Manny trade? Jeff Bailey and The Daily New, covering Lower Columbia.

- If you like pitching mechanics and Joba Chamberlain, you will like this site.

- On the A-Blog, our own Alex Speier has a look at managers having to balance old school sensibility and fundamentals with new school reality.

- WEEI blog updates: Kirk Minihane leads into his Wednesday column with an blogging appetizer. Mike Petraglia has been checking in from Foxboro, including Matt Cassel’s audio file salvo against his critics the most recent edition of “Where’s Trags?” There is a producer on producer blogging smack-down brewing between “The Producers” and “Behind the Glass.” BTG has a good Q &A with Celtics broadcaster Sean Grande, as well.

Josh Beckett just spoke with the media regarding the tingling he has felt in his right pinky and ring finger which is causing the Red Sox to push his next start back until a week from today. The pitcher said that he has experienced this condition before, although not to this extent. He won’t throw a ball for a few days.

Here is Beckett talking about his recent ailment. CLICK HERE.

Also wanted to pass along that Carl Yastrzemski is undergoing bypass surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital after experiencing chest pains earlier today.

The Red Sox have made a Triple A signing, inking Jason Lane. The 31-year-old outfielder had been with the Yankees’ Triple A affiliate. He played 71 games in the major leagues last year with both Houston and San Diego. Lane’s best year in the big leagues came in 2005 when he played in 145 games, hitting .267 while hitting 26 home runs. He was hitting .236 with 16 home runs for Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski has been admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital after suffering with chest pains and discomfort. The Hall of Famer will turn 69 in three days. More to come …

(Thanks to all who corrected “administered”)