BOSTON — After what happened with his pitching staff so far this season, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell has no way of knowing if Rick Porcello’s strong performance Wednesday night is a sign of good things to come.
The beleaguered staff has enjoyed good outings before. The problem is a lack of consistency, and when it goes bad, it goes very bad.
The Red Sox allowed 34 runs in their previous three games before Porcello pitched seven strong frames in a 4-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Before Wednesday, Boston starters allowed five runs or more in eight of the first 21 games.
Wade Miley was shelled in Baltimore on Sunday. Joe Kelly gave up five runs in six innings Monday. Clay Buchholz was chased in a five-run third inning Tuesday.
Then Porcello gave up only two hits Wednesday, helping his team win the series to go to 12-10 with the New York Yankees coming to town.
“Obviously, we’ve had our struggles, but those are behind us now,” Porcello said. “We need to get better, and we need to get better fast.”
Next up is Justin Masterson on Friday. We’ll see if the upward trend continues.
The Red Sox are 12-10 and Masterson is 2-0 with a 5.16 ERA entering Friday night’s game at Fenway when the Yankees will send lefty CC Sabathia to the mound. He is 0-4 with a 5.96 ERA.
Ramiriez, Ortiz on a roll
Left fielder Hanley Ramirez’s fifth homer in the last six games Wednesday night allowed him to tie David Ortiz’s 2006 club record for home runs — 10 — before May 1. He also equaled his own personal record for any month. He is batting .359 with six homers in his past 11 games.
DH David Ortiz went 2-for-3 against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey and is 8-for-21 (.381) against him lifetime. Ortiz is 7-for-20 (.350) with six RBIs in his past four games.
Sox make pitching moves.
LHP Tommy Layne has been recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, one of two pitchers summoned to help a beleaguered bullpen. He appeared in four games for Boston earlier this season, allowing three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
RHP Dalier Hinojosa had his contract selected from Triple-A Pawtucket, and he added to the Red Sox’s 25-man and 40-man rosters. The 29-year-old Cuban was 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in four relief appearances for Pawtucket. In his first season in the United States last year, Hinojosa went 3-5 with three saves and a 3.79 ERA in 41 games for Pawtucket.
RHP Anthony Varvaro was designated for assignment prior to the final game of Toronto series. He was 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA in nine appearances out of the bullpen, yielding 14 hits, six walks and a .311 opponents’ batting average in 11 innings. The Red Sox have 10 days to move him or, if that fails, attempt to send him outright to Triple-A Pawtucket.
NOTES: RF Shane Victorino (right hamstring tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 23. He might not be ready to return as soon as he is eligible. … RHP Brandon Workman (strained right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list April 13. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection April 14, and he might be able to resume throwing in early May. He is out indefinitely.