The Jays wasted no time getting to Weber in the top of the first inning. Cavan Biggio hit the 5th pitch of the game into the Merrimack River to put the Jays up one batter into the game. Bo Bichette hit a routine grounder to Rafael Devers who threw himself on the ball, wrestled with it and heaved it into the Monster Seats for not one but two errors on the same play. Xander Bogaerts threw out Bichette at third on a grounder by Lourdes Gurriel Jr and Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez flied out to center. Vladimir Guerrero Jr grounded out to third to end the inning with the Jays up 1-0.
The Sox took advantage of a wild Tanner Roark in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Benintendi and Devers drew back to back walks but JD Martinez lined out to left. Bogaerts walked to load the bases and Mitch Moreland walked to score Benintendi to tie the game. Foolishly Christian Vazquez swung at a pitch and banged into a double play to end the inning, but the Sox tied it on four walks 1-1.
Randal Grichuk walked to start the top of the second but old friend Travis Shaw struck out as Vazquez gunned down Grichuk at second trying to steal. Teoscar Hernandez doubled to left but Danny Jansen whiffed to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the second as Alex Verdugo pounded his second home run of the season to put the Red Sox on top. Jackie Bradley Jr walked but Jose Peraza flied out to left. JBJ moved to second on the grounder by Benintendi but Devers whiffed to end the inning. Roark had only thrown 14 of his 42 pitches for strikes yet the Sox have 2 strikeouts and only lead 2-1.
Naturally the Jays fought back in the top of the third as Biggio singled to left to begin. Bichette effortlessly pounded a double over the third base bag into left to tie the game but somehow Gurriel Jr struck out swinging. Tellez flied out to center which moved Bichette to third and Guerrero Jr walked. Grichuk grounded into a force to end the inning with the games tied 2-2.
The Sox broke the tie quickly in the bottom of the third although Martinez popped up to second to begin. Bogaerts got a base hit to center and Moreland crushed his 4th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Vazquez lined out to left and Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
Weber retutned for the top of the fourth but was quickly chased when Shaw singled to left. Sox manager Ron Roenicke decided to cut his losses and pull Weber after allowing 2 runs in 3+ innings. Heath Hembree (2-0, 1.42 ERA) came in and got Hernandez to pop up to second and Jansen to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Ryan Borucki replaced Roark for the bottom of the fourth and JBJ grounded out to short to start. Peraza walked but the slumping Benintendi and Devers both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Colten Brewer cruised in the top of the fifth as Biggio grounded out to second to start. Bichette lined out to center and Gurriel Jr grounded out to third to end the inning. Jacob Waguespack came on for the bottom of the fifth and Martinez whiffed to start. Bogaerts walked but Moreland flied out to center. Bogaerts swiped second but Vazquez went down hacking to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in for the top of the sixth and naturally walked Tellez to start. Guerrero Jr pounded a double to right to score Tellez but was thrown out at third trying to stretch a triple. Grichuk got a base hit to left but Shaw banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-3.
The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the sixth as Verdugo walked to start. JBJ forced Verdugo at second but Peraza singled to center. AJ Cole came in to pitch and Benintendi whiffed right on cue. Devers popped up to third to end the inning.
Austin Brice came in for the top of the seventh and Hernandez grounded out to short to start. Jansen flied out to center but Biggio walked. Bichette popped up to second to end the inning. Martinez took strike three to start the bottom of the seventh but Bogaerts walked. Moreland flied out to right but Vazquez whiffed to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in for the top of the eighth and Gurriel Jr grounded out to first to start. Tellez walked and Anthony Alford pinch ran for him. Alford stole second and Guerrero Jr walked. Billy McKinney pinch ran for Guerrero and Alford swiped third as well. Barnes got a big play when Grichuk banged into a double play to end the inning. Brandon Drury took over at third for McKinney with Shaw moving to first and Rafael Dolls on the mound for the bottom of the eighth. Verdugo greeted the new pitcher with his second opposite field homer of the night. JBJ took strike three but Peraza doubled. The gruesome twosome failed again as Benintendi took strike three and Devers whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.
Brandon Workman came on to close out the top of the ninth but needed some help from his defense. Shaw blasted a pitch deep out to right BUT VERDUGO CAUGHT IT OVER THE WALL! Alex stole a home run from Shaw but Hernandez singled to left. Workman recovered to get Jansen to line out to a running Verdugo and Biggio to pop up to left to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-3.
Hero of the Night is Alex Verdugo. His two home runs paced the offense and he robbed a home run in the ninth to preserve the win.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts got a hit, walked three times, stole a base and scored a run.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3 with a walk, 3 total rbis and a home run.
Jose Peraza was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless inning.
Colten Brewer pitched a scoreless inning.
Austin Brice pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Brandon Workman earned his 3rd save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Ryan Weber allowed 2 runs in just 3 innings, he doesn't have good enough stuff to get people out/
Ryan Brasier allowed a run in the sixth inning.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of three strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of three strikeouts, made two errors on the same play but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Verdugo is not Mookie Betts but he played like it tonight. The Sox survived another terrible Ryan Weber start and tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball. Apart from Brasier, the bullpen held up including Austin Brice who's pitched well after his first couple of outings. If the Sox just had ONE proven starter after Eovaldi, you could make a case for the Sox sneaking into October on the back of their offense and bullpen. As it is with Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez out for the season, forget about it. Still, Verdugo had a breakout and hopefully Devers and Benintendi can bust out of their slumps as well. The win improved the Sox to an unimpressive 5-8, 4 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row against the Jays when Zack Godley (0-1, 6.14 ERA) goes up against Chase Anderson at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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