CHICAGO -- Daniel Bard's last appearance as a starting pitcher was back on April 15, and since then, it seems like all of New England has been debating his role.
Moreover, Bard had a long layoff with a relief outing and a few side sessions mixed in.
But if there were any doubts as to how Bard would deal with his regular routine interrupted, he erased them with his performance. In what was clearly the best of his starts to date, Bard limited the Chicago White Sox to two earned runs in seven innings as the Red Sox win streak stretched to five straight with a 10-3 beating of the White Sox.
"As a reliever, you kind of learn to be flexible,'' said Bard, who earned his first win as a starter. "Sometimes, you threw the day before; sometimes, you haven't thrown in four or five days. You learn that your arm's going to feel a little bit different every time out and you just kind of learn to adjust.
"I guess that's the benefit I have, of having that experience as a reliever. I felt good today, physically.''
"I've been very impressed with his focus,'' said Bobby Valentine. "Those things (the skipped start, relief outing) could have gotten him mentally out of touch with his start tonight.''
Bard allowed a run in the first on two doubles, another in the third that was unearned after an error by Kevin Youkilis and an infield single off his hand. But over his final four innings of
work, he allowed just one baserunner -- Paul Konerko's solo homer with two out in the fifth. He retired 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced and manager Bobby Valentine said he would have been inclined to allow Bard to pitch a complete game had it not been so cold, and the Red Sox not provided him with some long innings in the dugout.
Boston Red Sox
Bard got ahead with most hitters, changed speeds on his slider and made a mental adjustment that allowed him to have far better command. After walking seven in his last start, he walked just one hitter Friday.
"There are a few ticks in your delivery that you kind of find as the season goes on that allow you to kind of stay in check,'' said Bard. "I'd been missing high and to the arm side when I was tired, and now I have something that kind of locks me back in that I hadn't really incorporated before. It's just a little mental cue for me that I hadn't quite figured out the last couple of starts.''
"We've seen an evolution (in Bard as a starter),'' said Valentine. "The first time we looked at him, we worried whether he could have a windup. He got through the windup and we worried about (him having) a third pitch. He got through the third pitch, and we worried about his ability to go more than 60 pitches. He just keeps progressing.''