Lackey inspired to follow suit

BALTIMORE — John Lackey was watching from the dugout in Toronto Tuesday when Clay Buchholz allowed one run over eight innings against the Blue Jays. Then Jon Lester threw seven shutout innings a night later.“I guess it’s my turn now,’’ said Lackey, who will face the Orioles tonight in the opener of a three-game series at Camden Yards. “I have to keep that line moving.’’Lackey is 2-1 with a 5.09 ERA in four starts. The righthander has made three quality starts, the exception being an ugly outing against the Rays April 19 in which he allowed eight runs on nine hits before leaving in the fourth inning.“Everything has been fine outside of that game,’’ said Lackey, who will oppose David Hernandez tonight. “I’ve been pretty happy with how I’ve pitched.’’Lackey said the success of Buchholz and Lester will serve as motivation.“You see the other guys pitching well and you want to do your part,’’ he said. “What those guys did was pretty special. Hopefully I can do my part and keep us going.’’Lackey beat the Orioles last Saturday, allowing three runs over seven innings in a game the Red Sox won, 7-6.Return to the nest Playing at Camden Yards will bring back memories for Darnell McDonald — few of them good.He was a first-round draft pick of the Orioles in 1997 but played only 17 games for them. He has not played at Camden Yards since the final days of the 2004 season. Over 10 games there, he was 4 for 18. The Orioles let him go after that season, and McDonald has played for six organizations since.Asked if he was looking forward to going back, he said, “Not really. I have some bad memories from that place, to tell you the truth.’’McDonald bypassed a football scholarship to Texas for a $1.9 million bonus from the Orioles. He struggled after signing.“I’m glad they drafted me, I’m thankful for that,’’ he said. “But it was a rough time for me. Early on, I didn’t do a lot of the things that were expected of me being a high-round draft pick. When I did start doing those things, the people who had drafted me were gone. They had different players they wanted. Everything happens for a reason. I learned a lot over there and built a lot of character going through tough times. But I am thankful to the Orioles for drafting me. I wish it had worked out differently.’’McDonald is hitting .333 with two homers and six RBIs since being called up April 20.Motion sickness Josh Beckett, who starts Sunday, threw a bullpen session in Toronto Wednesday, trying to get some kinks out of his delivery. The righthander has a 7.22 ERA through five starts. “I have to be a little more smooth in my motion,’’ Beckett said. “It needs to be more natural and I haven’t done that.’’ Beckett said the issue is at the start of his delivery and has left his right hand behind the ball instead of on top of it. That has contributed to leaving the ball up in the strike zone. “I don’t think it’s any one big thing I’m doing specifically wrong,’’ Beckett said. “It’s more general.’’ Beckett had a 7.22 ERA after five starts last season and recovered to pitch well over the remaining five months. “I know what I need to do,’’ he said. “Now I have to go out there and do it.’’Moving up The Sox promoted one of their top prospects, first baseman Lars Anderson, to Pawtucket. The 22-year-old hit .355 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 17 games for Double A Portland. Anderson spent all of last season at Portland, hitting .233 with nine homers. That caused his stock to slip, a trend that was reversed this month. Anderson will play first base for Pawtucket, with Aaron Bates moving to left field. Baseball America rated Anderson the fourth-best prospect in the organization . . . The lobby of a Baltimore hotel yesterday included a party of Red Sox fans checking in while some Yankees fans were checking out. The Yankees finished a three-game series at Camden Yards last night . . . The Angels have claimed infielder Kevin Frandsen off waivers from the Sox . . . Red Sox senior adviser Jeremy Kapstein has filed papers in Rhode Island to run for lieutenant governor.Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com.