Clay Buchholz's New Dish; He Scores...

Ah, the life of a baseball player -- getting paid a lot of money, nice per diems, being put on a pedestal by virtue of being able to hit or throw a ball better than the average human, and getting your choice of women.

The fellow who no-hit my Baltimore Orioles, has a new girl -- and she fits well with a highly tuned athlete. Ok, his new girl is not my type, but is a dream for most red-blooded men...

First he throws a no-hitter in his second start in the bigs. Then Josh Beckett [stats] goes down with a bad back, meaning Clay’s odds of starting just got a whole lot better. And if that’s not enough, Clay is dating Penthouse Pet of the Year Erica Ellyson!

Buchholz’s dad confirmed to WZLX yesterday that his boy has spent some quality time with the 23-year-old centerfold.

“I know he’s met her, gone out with her, but I don’t know if you consider that dating . . . but hey, a boy could do worse,” Skip Buchholz told ’ZLX’s Karlson & McKenzie yesterday.

Apparently Erica also spilled the beans - somewhat - to Howard Stern the other morning, telling the satellite shock jock that she was sleeping with someone on the Sox.

“It doesn’t surprise me any,” said Clay’s dad. “Last year up in Boston he was dating a Victoria’s Secret model, so he’s moving up the ladder . . . . I mean, he’s got pretty good taste.”

Well, who knew the rather geeky-looking Texan was such a playah! And if you ask us, the Red Sox rookie has his hands full with Erica. On her MySpace [website] page the perky Pet lists her interests as “being naked and spanking” along with the more tame “golf, track, fishing and drinking with friends.”

And during a visit to the Stern show earlier this week, Erica stripped down with fellow Penthouse Pet Bree Olson and made out on the Stern sofa.

Go him -- like I said, a girl like this really not my type at all...