The Jays wasted no time getting to Steven Wright. Michael Saunders grounded out to begin the top of the first and got Josh Donaldson to fly out. The wheels fell off when Jose Bautista launched a home run out of Fenway. 3 straight singles by Edwin Encarnarcion, Troy Tulowitzky and Chris Colabello increased the lead 2-0. Wright struck out Russell Martin to end the inning, but the rout was on. Aaron Sanchez got the ball in the bottom of the second and struck out Mr. Mookie Betts quickly. Xander Bogaerts grounded out but David Ortiz walked. Ramirez grounded out on a bang bang play to first to end the inning.
The Jays picked up where they left off when Kevin Pillar singled to begin the top of the second. Ryan Goins flied out to Chris Young in left. Saunders flied out to center and Bogaerts made a diving catch to rob Donaldson of a hit. Nice job by Wright and the defense to recover. Both Travis Shaw and Chris Young looked at strike three to begin the bottom of the second. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to end the inning.
Wright got some partial revenge by striking out Bautista and Encarnarcion to open the top of the third. JBJ fought the sun but Tulowitzky flied out to end the inning. Ryan Hanigan whiffed on a 3-2 count to begin the bottom of the third. Marco Hernandez made his major league debut coming off his 11 for 19 effort in spring training. Marco was the one they got in the Felix Doubront trade and he walked to extend the inning. Mr. Mookie lined out to left and Bogaerts grounded out to end the inning.
Wright shocked the world by firing a fastball right to the head of Colabello to open the top of the fourth. Chris went down in a heap and Wright immediately dropped to his knees in shock. Luckily, Colabello was alright for now. Martin flied out to center but Pillar singled. Goins struck out and Saunders popped up to end the inning. Good effort by Wright to keep it close. Sanchez continued to dominate in the bottom of the fourth by striking out Ramirez after Ortiz walked. Shaw popped up and Young grounded out. The Sox hadn't even gotten a hit yet.
Wright came back for the 5th and got Donaldson to fly out to left field. Bautista struck out and Encarnarcion lined out to end the inning. Wright had given up 1 hit since the second inning but was up to 90 pitches. Could the Sox generate any offense against Sanchez? JBJ grounded out to begin the bottom of the fifth. Hanigan then lofted a bloop but was snagged in center for the second out. Ironically the first guy to get a hit was the rookie Marco Hernandez, a broken bat liner into left. Hernandez lit up the crowd with a mad dash to second for a stolen base and to third as the throw went into center field. Inspired by his effort, Mr. Mookie singled to center to cut the lead 2-1. Bogaerts grounded out but the Sox now had hope.
Could Wright preserve it at 2-1? He struck out Tulowitzky to begin the top of the 6th. Colabello grounded out to second and Pillar flied out to end Wright's day. Once again Wright pitched well, 6 innings of 2 run ball, just had no run support. Ortiz gave one a ride but was caught at the wall in center to begin the bottom of the 6th. Ramirez grounded out and Shaw struck out in short order. Wright was good, but Sanchez was better.
Tommy Layne came on for the top of the 7th and Goins greeted him with a single over the head of Bogaerts. Saunders struck out and that was it for Layne. Sox manager John Farrell wanted Noe Ramirez to pitch to Donaldson over Matt Barnes.. The gamble backfired as Donaldson doubled home Goins for the big insurance run. Bautista struck out but Encarnarcion doubled home Donaldson to extend the lead 4-1. Ramirez struck out Tulowitzky to end the inning but the damage was done. Sanchez came back to strike out Young to begin the bottom of the 7th inning. JBJ flied out but Hanigan walked. Hernandez flied out to end the inning. If it wasn't for Noe blowing it, the game would still be in reach.
Robbie Ross Jr took the mound for the top of the 8th and got Colabello to ground out. Martin stroked a single to right and Pillar followed with a seeing eye single. Goins banged into a double play to end the threat. Drew Storen relieved Sanchez for the bottom of the 8th. Mr. Mookie whiffed badly and Bogaerts grounded out. Ortiz also grounded out to end the inning. The Sox had just two hits in the game.
Saunders and Donaldson had back to back hits off new pitcher Matt Barnes to open the top of the 9th. Bautista doubled home Saunders but Encarnarcion struck out. Tulowitzky struck out but pinch hitter Justin Smoak walked to load the bases. Martin struck out to end the inning but this one was over, 5-1 Jays. Toronto closer took the mound for the bottom of the 9th inning. Ramirez somehow singled and Travis Shaw hit a bullet into the bullpen to cut the deficit 5-3.
How big were the Barnes and Ramirez runs now? For some reason Chris Young was left in to face the righty Osuna and right on cue Young looked at strike 3. JB followed with a strikeout and Hanigan lined out to third to end the game. The Jays had won 5-3.
Jackass of the Night should be John Farrell but instead its Noe Ramirez. Brought in to get the heart of the order, he allowed the inherited runner to score and one of his own to put the game out of reach. Those runs ended up being the difference in the game.
The Good:
Marco Hernandez was the hero by going 1 for 2 with a walk and a stolen base in his ML debut. 2 starts in row Steven Wright took the loss but pitched great, going 6 innings and allowing just 2 runs. Once again he got no run support. Robbie Ross Jr pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts continued to slump by going 0 for 4. Chris Young was 0 for 4 with a hat trick. He is now 1 for 12 with 7 k's on the season. Some pickup. Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a strikeout. Tommy Layne faced 2 batters and one of them came around to score. Matt Barnes worked the 9th and allowed a run on 3 straight hits.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 4 with an rbi. David Ortiz was 0 for 2 with two walks. Hanley Ramirez was 1 for 4 with an rbi. Travis Shaw was 1 for 4 including his first homer of the year, a 2 run shot in the 9th inning. Ryan Hanigan was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Final Thoughts:
It seemed like Farrell treated this game as a throw-away and it cost the Sox big time. Every move he made with the exception of Robbie Ross in the 8th backfired. Ramirez, Barnes and Layne all gave up runs and leaving Chris Young in against right handers cost him in the end. Remember he sent down Rusney Castillo to "get at-bats" when he could have easily started today instead of Young. What's the sense of having Josh Rutledge on the roster if he's not going to play? Still, if he treated the game as a throw-away, resting Pedroia, Holt, Tazawa, Uehara and Kimbrel for tomorrow, it'll look good if Clay Buchholz has another 5 inning stinker and the bullpen is needed. Tomorrow morning at 11 AM the much maligned Buchholz goes up against JA Happ looking to take 3 of 4 from Toronto in this series. Sox fans are sick of Donaldson, Encarnarcion and Bautista already.
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