Jays starter Chase Anderson cruised in the top of the first inning as Alex Verdugo grounded out to first to start. Rafael Devers took strike three and JD Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning. The Jays feasted on Hart in the bottom of the first inning as Cavan Biggio and Randal Grichuk stroked back to back singles to start. Vladimir Guerrero Jr lined out to center but Teoscar Hernandez walked to load the bases. Lourdes Gurriel Jr doubled home Biggio and Grichuk to put the Jays on top. Old friend Travis Shaw popped up to third but Danny Jansen singled home both runners to put the Jays up big. Verdugo gunned down Jansen at second trying to stretch to end the inning but it was 4-0 Jays.
The Sox somehow fought back in the top of the second as Xander Bogaerts doubled to center and Mitch Moreland singled him home to cut the lead. Christian Vazquez lined out to center, Kevin Pillar whiffed and Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 4-1.
Brandon Drury grounded out to third to start the bottom of the second but Santiago Espinal doubled to center. Biggio walked and Grichuk singled to third...but Guerrero Jr banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the third with Joe Panik in for Shaw as Jose Peraza lined out to second to start. Verdugo grounded out to first but Devers singled to left. Martinez popped up to first to end the inning. Hart froze Hernandez to start the bottom of the third before Gurriel Jr flied out to right but Panik singled to center. Jansen took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox tried to get back in the game in the top of the fourth when Bogaerts singled to right to start and Moreland doubled him home. Pillar grounded out to third but a passed ball moved Moreland to third. JBJ singled home Moreland to cut the lead, but Peraza grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Just as soon as the Sox fought back to get in the game, the Jays roared back in the bottom of the fourth. Drury took strike three but Espinal singled and Biggio walked to chase Hart. Who knows why they kept him over Brian Johnson but Hart was finished after 3 1/3 innings and 6 runs allowed. Phillips Valdez came in and Grichuk moved the runners over with a grounder to short. Guerrero Jr singled home both runners to give the Jays the three run lead back. Hernandez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Jays up 6-3.
Verdugo singled to left to start the top of the fifth but Devers whiffed. Martinez flied out to right and Bogaerts flied out to left to end the inning. Valdez returned for the bottom of the fifth and Gurriel Jr walked to start. Panik and Jansen both went down hacking and Drury flied out to right to end the inning.
Suddenly the Sox fought back as Moreland walked to open the top of the sixth and Wilmer Font took over for Anderson. Vazquez doubled Moreland to third but Pillar popped up to first. JBJ lashed a base hit to center to score Moreland and send Vazquez to third. Peraza was plunked and Verdugo singled to right to score Vazquez and reload the bases. AJ Cole came in for Font and Devers greeted him with a bases clearing triple to give the Sox the lead. Martinez scored Devers with a sac fly and Bogaerts got a base hit to left. Moreland popped up to first to end the inning but the Sox launched past the Jays 9-6.
Darwinzon Hernandez took over for the bottom of the sixth and Espinal singled to center to start. Biggio forced Espinal at second before Gruchuk took strike three. Guerrero Jr grounded out to short to end the inning.
Travis Bergen came in for the top of the seventh and Vazquez took strike three to start. Pillar grounded out to short but JBJ walked. JBJ was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning.
Darwinzon returned for the bottom of the seventh and Teoscar Hernandez grounded out to third to start. Gurriel Jr grounded out to short but Panik walked. Jansen singled to center but Drury whiffed to end the inning.
Peraza singled to left to start the top of the eighth but Verdugo and Devers both whiffed. Sam Gaviglio came in and got Martinez to fly out to center to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came on for the bottom of the eighth and whiffed Espinal to start. Biggio flied out to center and Grichuk flied out to left to end the inning.
Bogaerts flied out to right to begin the top of the ninth but Moreland walked. Vazquez flied out to center and Pillar grounded into a force to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in for the save in the bottom of the ninth and got Guerrero Jr to ground out to second to begin. Suddenly Hernandez clobbered a home run all the way to the Skylon Tower in Ontario to cut the lead. Gurriel Jr whiffed but Panik singled to center. Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez pinch hit for Jansen and Barnes blew him away to end the game. The Sox had held on to win it 9-7.
Hero of the Night is Rafael Devers. His bases clearing triple put the Sox in front for good in the 6th.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 5 with an rbi, outfield assist and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Jose Peraza was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch and a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Phillips Valdez got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Ryan Brasier tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Kevin Pillar was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Kyle Hart got lit up for 6 runs in just 3 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Matt Barnes earned his 2nd save but allowed a run in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
That's the kind of offense the Sox had in 2018 and parts of last year. Too bad they can't be more consistent like that. The key to it was Devers hitting shots all over Fenway. Too bad a lot of these guys have one good day then four bad ones and you never know when which one will have either or. Also good to see the bullpen get the job done after Kyle Hart vomited up his intestines again. Any other year Hart would be in Portland where he belongs but he's what they have. God help them. Barnes as the closer in the wake of losing Workman once again almost blew up in their face but he's all they have. The win improved the Sox to a horrible 10-20 on the season meaning we're halfway home. 6 more days till the Tax reset and 30 games left in this miserable season, yippie. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row over the Jays when they pick a name out of a hat to face Julian Merryweather at 6:30 PM at Sahlen Field in Buffalo.
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