On a night where the Boston Bruins defeated the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their first round NHL playoff series, the Boston Red Sox blitzed the Toronto Blue Jays in a mirror opposite of last night's game. The Red Sox got to Jays starter Ross Stripling for 5 runs in the top of the first inning including home runs from Alex Verdugo and JD Martinez. Kike Hernandez and Christian Vazquez also hit home runs as the Boston bats pounded out 13 hits. Garrett Richards (4-2, 3.72 ERA) held the high powered Jays offense to just 2 runs in 6 2/3 gutty innings. Garrett Whitlock allowed a 2 run home run to Marcus Semien but Adam Ottavino and Josh Taylor slammed the door on Boston's 7-3 victory over the Jays at TD Ballpark.
The Red Sox bushwhacked Stripling in the top of the first inning as Kike Hernandez singled to left to start. Alex Verdugo clobbered his sixth home run of the year to give the Sox the lead. JD Martinez went back to back with his 11th homer of the season to increase the lead. Xander Bogaerts singled to left, Rafael Devers doubled to left and Christian Vazquez grounded out to second to score Bogaerts. Marwin Gonzalez struck out swinging but Bobby Dalbec doubled to center to score Devers with another run. Franchy Cordero lined out to center to end the inning but the Sox had taken a 5-0 lead.
The Jays answered by smacking around Richards in the bottom of the first as Marcus Semien walked to start. Bo Bichette hit a double to center but Semien was thrown out at home by Hernandez on a relay throw. Vladimir Guerrero doubled home Bichette and Teoscar Hernandez walked. Randal Grichuk beat out a double play ball but Lourdes Gurriel Jr struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
The Sox struck again in the top of the second as Hernandez clubbed his fifth home run of the season to get the run back. Verdugo popped up to short, Martinez grounded out to second and Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 6-1.
Cavan Biggio flied out to right to start the bottom of the second but Jonathan Davis walked. Reese McGuire banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the third as Devers whiffed to start. Vazquez grounded out to second and Gonzalez also grounded out to second to end the inning. The Jays looked to strike again when Semien led off the bottom of the third with a double to center, but Bichette struck out swinging. Guerrero Jr grounded out to third and Hernandez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Dalbec struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth before Cordero grounded back to the mound. Hernandez doubled to center to chase Stripling and Trent Thornton came in to pitch. Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning. Grichuk singled to right to start the bottom of the fourth but Gurriel Jr banged into a double play. Biggio struck out swinging to end the inning.
Martinez grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Bogaerts singled to center. Devers beat out an infield single to third but Vazquez banged into a double play to end the inning. Davis grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fifth but McGuire caught Devers asleep with a bunt single. A wild pitch moved McGuire to second and Semien walked. Bichette grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Gonzalez lined out to center to start the top of the sixth and Dalbec struck out swinging. Cordero doubled to right but Hernandez flied out to center to end the inning. Guerrero Jr grounded out to third to start the bottom of the sixth but Hernandez singled to left. A wild pitch moved Hernandez to second but Grichuk lined out to first. Gurriel Jr flied out to center to end the inning.
Jeremy Beasley came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Verdugo took strike three to start. Martinez struck out swinging and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning. Richards returned for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh and Biggio took strike three to start. Davis took strike three but McGuire singled to center. Rather than have Richards throw 8 more pitches to get the next batter, Dr Quick Hook Alex Cora felt Garrett Whitlock could get Semien out. Naturally Semien effortlessly crushed a 2 run bomb to South America to make Cora look like a fool again for pulling a starter early. Bichette grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was now 6-3 Sox. Richards was charged with 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings.
The Sox got the run right back in the top of the eighth as Devers struck out swing to start. Vazquez then clocked his third home run of the year to dead center to increase the lead. Gonzalez lined out to center and Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-3.
Adam Ottavino came in for the bottom of the eighth and Guerrero Jr flied out to left to start. Hernandez singled in the hole at second but Grichuk lined out to right. Gurriel Jr struck out swinging to end the inning.
AJ Cole came in for the top of the ninth and Cordero lined out to third to start. Hernandez struck out swinging but Verdugo singled to right. Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning. Josh Taylor came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Biggio popped up to short to start. Davis walked and Danny Jansen pinch hit for McGuire. Jansen flied out to left and Semien flied out to center to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-3.
Hero of the Night is Garrett Richards. He tossed 6 2/3 innings of 2 run ball to keep the Sox in front and earn the win.
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 3 for 5 with a home run and two total runs scored.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 5 with a 2 run home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Adam Ottavino tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marwin Gonzalez 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Garrett Whitlock allowed the 2 run home run to Semien.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a two run home run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a home run while driving in 2 total runs.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Franchy Cordero was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
That was a good win and the Sox did what many teams have done to them the last few years. How many times did the opposing teams in 2019 and 2020 jump out to a three or four run lead before the Sox knew what hit them and cruise from there? The Sox scoring 5 runs in the first inning essentially took the Jays out of it and Richards dominated from there. The lone blemish of the night is Alex Cora pulling a starter too early AGAIN. Richards was at 99 pitches and probably wouldn't need that much more to get Semien. Insteads Dr. Quick Hook brings in Whitlock who gives up another homer. Its obviously that AL hitters have figured him out and he needs to adjust. He's got a 97 mph fastball and a devastating sinker that looked almost unhittable in April. He has to get back to that because the bullpen is in trouble the more he struggles. Offensively the Sox are what they are, not terrible but not special either. Scoring all but 2 of their runs in one inning was a microcosm of that. The worst part is even though Richards got the win and has actually pitched well in his last several starts, Corey Kluber no-hit the Texas Rangers tonight and his ERA is a full run lower than Richards. This is a bad sign that Kluber is back to where he was 5 years ago and we all know Richards hasn't pitched a full season in 7 years. Still, a win is a win and the Sox did just that tonight. The win improved the Sox to 26-18, 1 game in front of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it 2 in a row against the Jays tomorrow evening when "The Undefeated" Nick Pivetta (5-0) takes on Steven Matz of the Jays. The game begins at 7:35 PM at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida.
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