Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez got the ball to start the top of the first. Mr. Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia led off with ground outs. Xander Bogarts struck out to end the inning. The Jays wasted no time scoring off incompetent starter Joe Kelly in the bottom of the first. Ezequiel Carrera grounded out but Josh Donaldson belted a solo shot to put the Jays up 1-0 two batters into the game. Edwin Encarnarcion grounded out and Michael Saunders struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox took advantage of some shoddy defense to tie the game in the top of the second. Troy Tulowitzky made fans run for cover after chucking a ground ball by Travis Shaw away. Shaw moved to third on the ground out by Hanley Ramirez and scored on the Jackie Bradley Jr ground out. Marco Hernandez grounded out to end the inning but the Sox had tied it. Kelly tried to recover by blowing away both Tulowitzky and Justin Smoak to begin the bottom of the second. Russell Martin and Devon Travis both singled but Kevin Pillar whiffed to end the inning.
Sanchez settled down in the top of the third. Christian Vazquez grounded out and Blake Swihart struck out. Mr. Mookie grounded out to end the inning, Sanchez was keeping the ball low in this one. The Jays re-took the lead in the bottom of the second when Carrera singled and, who else, Donaldson doubled him home. Josh moved to third on the Encarnarcion ground out and Saunders walked. Kelly recovered to strike out both Tulowitzky and Smoak to end the inning. If it wasn't for that damn Donaldson, Kelly would be doing really well.
The Sox fought back in the top of the fourth. Pedroia whiffed but Bogaerts singled. Shaw singled Bogaerts to third and took second on the throw. Ramirez slammed a single to score Bogaerts but Shaw was held at third. JBJ walked to load the bases but Ramirez was doubled off second on the liner by Hernandez...damn. The Jays re-took the lead back again in the bottom of the inning. Martin walked but Travis flied out. Pillar singled and Carrera was hit with a pitch to load the bases. You're not gonna believe this but Donaldson singled to score Martin. Encarnarcion hit a sac fly to make it 4-2 and Saunders walked. Kelly did manage to strike out Tulowitzky for the third time to end the inning....god damn Donaldson.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the fifth. Vazquez lined out, Swihart struck out and Mr. Mookie grounded out to end the inning. Kelly got knocked out in the bottom of the fifth. Smoak homered to give the Jays a 5-2 lead to begin the inning. Martin struck out and Travis grounded out, but Pillar doubled to chase Joe. Matt Barnes came in and got Carrera to ground out. 4 2/3 innings and 5 earned runs for Kelly....not the start you're looking for from him.
Sanchez continued to dominate in the top of the sixth. Pedroia flied out, Bogaerts grounded out and Shaw struck out to end the inning. Barnes returned for the bottom of the sixth and did what Kelly couldn't, strike out Donaldson. Encarnarcion flied out but Saunders walked again. Tulowitzky was hit with a pitch but Smoak whiffed to end the inning. The Jays could put up runs in bunches but also struck out a lot.
The Sox finally broke Sanchez in the top of the seventh. Ramirez walked and JBJ singled. Hernandez grounded out but both runners moved over. Vazquez blooped one into left to score both runners to make it 5-4. Swihart whiffed and that was it for Sanchez. Jeff Biagini came in and Mr. Mookie lined out to end the inning, but they showed some life. Junichi Tazawa came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh. Martin flied out, Travis whiffed and Pillar flied out.
The Sox fought back to tie the game in the top of the eighth. Pedroia led off with a double and moved to third on the fly out by Bogaerts. Shaw slammed a single to score Pedroia to tie the game, but Ramirez banged into a double play to end the inning. It was up to Koji Uehara (2-2, 4.26 ERA) to keep the game tied since the Jays bullpen isn't exactly lights out. He couldn't. Carrera bunted his way on and...I'll give you 3 guesses to who....Josh Donaldson crushed a 2 run bomb to give the Jays a 7-5 lead. You would think Koji should have just walked him and take his chances with the others? Encarnarcion popped up and Saunders struck out. Tulowitzky earned the golden sombrero with his fourth strikeout of the day but the damage was done.
Roberto Osuna was brought in to close the game out with a 2 run lead. The Sox went quietly as JBJ lined out, Hernandez grounded out and Vazquez popped up to end the game. Josh Donaldson by himself wins the game 7-5.
Jackass of the Night is Koji Uehara. You'd think he'd be more careful after watching Donaldson terrorize the Sox all night. The two run bomb he allowed was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Travis Shaw was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an rbi. Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr were both 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored and rbi. Matt Barnes tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts and Marco Hernandez were both 0 for 4. Blake Swihart was 0 for 3 with a hat trick, yikes. Joe Kelly crapped himself by allowing 5 runs on 9 hits and 3 walks in just 4 2/3 innings. He did manage to strike out 8 guys.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts were both just 1 for 4 with a run scored. Bogaerts extends his hit streak. Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs.
Final Thoughts:
It was the Josh Donaldson show tonight and he damn near buried the Red Sox by himself. Its one thing for Kelly to get burned multiple times but you'd think Sox pitchers would have learned their lesson not to pitch to him. I can't even say the Sox laid down because they kept coming back time and time again. It was just one of those days that one guy made the difference in the game. Joe Kelly is an enigma at this point. He blew away 8 guys but everyone else hit him....hard. This is not the same pitcher who was arguably the best in baseball going 7-0 down the stretch last year. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow "Slick" Rick Porcello takes the mound opposite Marcus Stroman in the middle game of this series. The loss drop the Sox to 29-19, still in first place in the AL East.
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