TORONTO — And the Toronto Blue Jays thought they had a tough time with Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

Just listen to Red Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli, Wakefield’s personal catcher, after the right-hander’s superb seven-inning stint in Boston’s 4-1 victory at the Rogers Centre last night. Mirabelli had an even tougher time.

"When his ball dances side to side like it was, it’s to the point where it’s almost scary back there (behind the plate). I don’t know where it’s going to go," Mirabelli said.

Red Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli is congratulated by teammate Julio Lugo after he slugged a solo home run in the sixth inning last night against the Toronto Blue Jays. Mirabelli also added an RBI single to Boston’s offensive attack.

AP / Aaron Harris

Several of Wakefield’s signature butterfly pitches clanged off Mirabelli’s mitt, but there was only one passed ball because the 40-year-old hurler limited the Jays to only five baserunners (three walks, two hits) through six innings before allowing a two-out run in the seventh on a double by Royce Clayton and a single by ex-Providence College star John McDonald.

By then, though, Wakefield was working with a 4-0 cushion, built on solo homers by Mike Lowell (fifth inning, the Sox’ first hit), Mirabelli (sixth) and David Ortiz (seventh) off right-hander Tomo Ohka, who once pitched a perfect game for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Mirabelli added an RBI single in the seventh.

“I thought Wake was tremendous,” said manager Terry Francona. “You could see by the balls that were getting past [Mirabelli] that it was moving. It was bouncing all over the place. Wake has a way of turning hitters inside out. Other pitchers get you out. Wake can put you in a funk.”

And that’s what Wakefield has been doing in his first three starts this year. Wakefield, who spent time on the disabled last year with a stress fracture in his rib cage, became confident that he was healthy during the offseason.

Wakefield worked hard in the offseason and the results show in his statistics. He is 2-1 with a glittering 1.35 earned-run average. Only a lack of run support in his first start, in Texas, has kept him from a spotless 3-0 mark.

“His knuckleball has been unbelievable every start he’s had,” said Mirabelli. “When he throws like he has been, he’s hard to hit. He’s getting major-league hitters swinging and missing and popping up. That shows you how much the ball is moving.”

Wakefield, naturally, is happy with his early results.

“I’m thankful I’m off to a good start,” said Wakefield. “Once I was beyond the concerns of my health [in the offseason], I went after it. I worked hard.”

Last night was a breeze for Wakefield with the exception of one inning, the fourth. With two outs and nobody on in what was then a 0-0 game and with Ohka holding the Sox hitless, Wakefield suddenly had trouble finding the strike zone. He issued three straight walks, prompting a visit from pitching coach John Farrell.

“He was rushing,” said Mirabelli. “John told him to gather himself and slow down. The ball came out of his hand better after that.”

Indeed, Wakefield whiffed Jason Phillips after Farrell’s visit, getting the Jays’ catcher to miss by a mile on a knuckler that moved down and away at the last second.

Then the Sox’ offense picked up a bit. Lowell almost one-handed a slider off the back wall of the Toronto bullpen in left in the fifth, snapping Ohka’s no-hit bid.

Mirabelli also launched a slider over the left-field fence, marking his second homer in as many starts. Ortiz took an outside pitch and crushed it to left-center in the sixth, and Mirabelli’s offensive contributions continued with his RBI single.

Once Wakefield’s shutout bid was gone, Francona lifted him after he had thrown 99 pitches through seven innings. Brendan Donnelly worked a perfect eighth and Jonathan Papelbon shrugged off his first two baserunners allowed all season (a single and a walk), fanning pinch hitters Jason Smith and Adam Lind for his third save of the year.

skrasner@projo.com