Boston starter Clay Buchholz’s downward spiral continues after he yields a homer to Chicago’s Jermaine Dye in the second inning yesterday. Buchholz was pulled in the fourth inning with the Red Sox trailing, 5-3.

AP / Nam Y. Huh

CHICAGO — If the Red Sox had any alternatives, Clay Buchholz might find his spot in the rotation in serious jeopardy.

Buchholz was hit hard again yesterday, surrendering three homers and five runs in three-plus innings in the Red Sox’ 6-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox, but even before the shellacking began, the Sox found themselves short of starters.

Tim Wakefield, slated to pitch the homestand opener tomorrow night, was sent back to Boston to have his creaky shoulder examined and is headed for the disabled list. Bartolo Colon, who would otherwise replace Buchholz, hasn’t yet built up his arm strength sufficiently.

Asked whether Buchholz might be in danger of losing his role, a somewhat flustered Terry Francona talked around the question.

“We’re already trying to fill Wake’s (spot),” said Francona. “We haven’t talked about it. Most of our energy is going into how do we get this kid straightened out.”

For the time being, the numbers show that to be a daunting task. Buchholz hasn’t won since May 2 and yesterday represented his sixth loss in his last seven outings. In his two previous starts, Buchholz was at least able to get through the sixth inning; yesterday, he was gone before he could get an out in the fourth.

Over his last eight starts, Buchholz is 0-6 with a staggering 8.19 ERA. Over his last four starts, he’s allowed seven homers including the three yesterday — a career-high.

But Buchholz could find little fault with his performance after quickly giving up the 3-0 lead provided him in the top of the first with Mike Lowell’s three-run homer off starter Gavin Floyd.

“I made pitches that got hit,” said Buchholz. “On two of the homers (a solo belt by Jermaine Dye in the second and a two-run shot by Carlos Quentin in the third) I threw exactly the pitches I wanted to make, right where I wanted them.”

Unfortunately for Buchholz and the Red Sox, they were right where Dye and Quentin wanted them, too.

After a one-two-three first inning, Buchholz faced six hitters in the second, eight in the third and two in the fourth before Francona pulled him.

“You expect them to hit mistakes,” said Buchholz. “But when you don’t make mistakes, it makes that much tougher to swallow. Today was actually a confidence booster; I threw quality pitches and got hit. … But I feel like I’m getting better and better.”

The numbers suggest otherwise. Since tossing a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in his second big-league start last Sept. 1, Buchholz is 2-9, 6.05 in 15 starts. The Sox themselves are 3-12 in games started by Buchholz.

As has been customary, Buchholz had at least one bad inning — the third — in which the opposition scored multiple runs. Yesterday, that was the third, when after striking out Orlando Cabrera, he allowed a single, a two-run homer to Quentin, another single, another two-run homer to Jim Thome and yet another single.

“Limiting the damage, or stopping the bleeding, has been the hardest thing for him,” said Francona. “Experience is going to be big for this kid and right now, he’s experiencing everything.”

Francona said Buchholz is still navigating a steep learning curve.

“It’s different (in the major leagues),” the manager said. “The strike zone is different and there are better hitters.”

The White Sox tacked on a run in the fifth off David Aardsma when Lowell, playing in to cut off another run, barehanded a chopper by Juan Uribe, but one-hopped his throw to Jason Varitek. The ball squirted loose and the Sox had a three-run lead.

But even then, the Sox weren’t done.

In the sixth, they chased Floyd with two runs on a J.D. Drew leadoff triple, a run-scoring single from Jason Bay, a single by Sean Casey and a wild pitch to pull within a run.

But with runners at the corners, pinch-hitter Jed Lowrie fanned. In the seventh, Matt Thornton filled the bases with three straight one-out walks. But Lowell hit into a rally killing 5-4-3 double-play and the Sox never got another base runner the rest of the way.

For the day, they stranded only six, but four of those were at third base. They were a woeful 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

“No matter what we did,” lamented Francona, “we couldn’t push that tying run across.”

Next Game

Tonight

vs. Chicago

8:11 p.m.

smcadam@projo.com