In a game that mirrored Sunday's game just in reverse, the Boston Red Sox were down to their last out trailing 7-5 to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Red Sox once again scored 5 runs in one inning to take a 5-2 lead on the Jays. The Jays came back with 3 runs off Sox starter Nick Pivetta and 2 off Hiro Sawamura to give the Jays a two runs lead. Jays starter Steven Matz and the Jays bullpen kept the Sox off the board until the top of the ninth. With two out and a man on, JD Martinez smashed a home run off Jays closer Rafael Dolis to give the Sox the lead. Matt Barnes slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth and the Sox stole one against the Jays 8-7 at TD Ballpark.
Matz got the ball in the top of the first and Kike Hernandez flied out to right to start. Alex Verdugo grounded out to short and JD Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning. The Jays pounced on Pivetta in the bottom of the first although Marcus Semien took strike three to start. Bo Bichette doubled to center and Vladimir Guerrero Jr doubled home Bichette to give Toronto the lead. Teoscar Hernandez walked and Randal Grichuk doubled home Guerrero to increase the lead. Cavan Biggio struck out swinging and Santiago Espinal lined out to short to end the inning with the Jays up 2-0.
The Sox exploded in the top of the second although Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging to start. Rafael Devers grounded out to short but Christian Vazquez singled to left. Hunter Renfroe singled to right and Bobby Dalbec pulverized a 3 run bomb to give the Sox the lead. Michael Chavis doubled to right and Hernandez singled off the glove of Espinal to score Chavis. Verdugo got a base hit to center and Martinez singled home Hernandez to add to the lead. Bogaerts walked to load the bases but Devers took strike three to end the inning. The Sox had scored five runs with two outs and led 5-2.
The Jays answered in the bottom of the second as Danny Jansen lined out to center to start. Jonathan Davis struck out swinging but Semien singled to right. Bichette doubled home Semien to cut the lead. Guerrero Jr flied out to right to end the inning with the Jays down 5-3.
Vazquez singled to right to start the top of the third but Renfroe lined out to left. Dalbec banged into a double play to end the inning. Pivetta settled down in the bottom of the third as Hernandez flied out to right. Grichuk grounded out to short and Biggio took strike three to end the inning.
Chavis grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth but Hernandez singled to left. Verdugo banged into a double play to end the inning. Espinal grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fourth and Jansen struck out swinging. Davis struck out swinging to end the inning.
Martinez struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth but Bogaerts grounded out to third. Devers singled to left and Vazquez walked, but Renfroe grounded out to short to end the inning. The Jays struck back in the bottom of the fifth as Semien walked to start. Bichette struck out swinging but Guerrero Jr singled to right. Hernandez hit a routine grounder to Devers who dropped an elbow on the ball and pinned it for an error to score Semien. Grichuk beat out a double play ball and Biggio singled home Guerrero Jr to tie the game. Espinal struck out swinging to end the inning and that was it for Pivetta. Once again he wouldn't be charged with a decision but he allowed 5 runs in 5 innings to leave the game tied 5-5.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Dalbec struck out swinging to start. Chavis flied out to left and Hernandez flied out to right to end the inning. Hiro Sawamura came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Jansen got a base hit to right...under the glove of Renfroe for an error that allowed Jansen to reach third. Davis singled to left to score Jansen to give the Jays the lead. Semien lined out to second but Bichette walked. Guerrero Jr struck out swinging and Hernandez hit a routine grounder to Bogaerts who flipped to Chavis....who wasn't paying attention because there was a hot girl in the stands, the ball bounced off his chest for another error. Naturally Grichuk singled home Davis to increase the lead and chase Sawamura. Hiro wasn't effective but the two errors certainly didn't help. Darwinzon Hernandez came in to pitch to Biggio and got him to ground out to first to end the inning with the Jays ahead 7-5.
Tyler Chatwood came in for the top of the seventh and dominated. Verdugo and Martinez both took strike three before Bogaerts lined out to left to end the inning. Espinal flied out to right to start the bottom of the seventh and Jansen struck out swinging. Davis walked and that was it for Hernandez. Phillips Valdez (2-0, 2.70 ERA) replaced Darwinzon and Semien grounded into a force to end the inning.
Jordan Romano came in for the top of the eighth and Devers went down hacking to start. Vazquez grounded out to short and Renfroe lined out to center to end the inning. Bichette singled to right to start the bottom of the eighth but Guerrero Jr grounded into a double play. Hernandez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rafael Dolis came in to close out the top of the ninth and the Sox sprang to life. Dalbec and Chavis stroked back to back singles to start but Hernandez took a full count strike three. A wild pitch moved both runners over but all Verdugo could do was score Dalbec with a grounder to first. 2 strikes away from defeat, Martinez then clobbered a 2 run home run (250th career) over the fence in right to give the Sox the lead out of nowhere. Bogaerts singled to left and stole second before Devers was intentionally walked. Vazquez grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-7.
Matt Barnes came in to close out the bottom of the ninth with Marwin Gonzalez in for defense at second. Grichuk went down hacking at a nasty knucklecurve and Barnes blew away Biggio with a 98 mph fastball. Sox killer Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez pinch hit for Espinal and Barnes walked him on a full count. One swing away from potentially losing the game, Barnes blew away Jansen on a 98 mph fastball to end the game. The Sox had stolen a victory from the Blue Jays 8-7.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. His 250th career home run was a 2 run shot to put the Sox ahead.
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with a 3 run homer and 2 runs scored.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed a full scoreless inning.
Phillips Valdez got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Barnes earned his 10th save with scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Nick Pivetta allowed 5 runs in 5 innings allowing 7 hits and 2 walks.
Hiro Sawamura allowed 2 runs in the sixth inning although neither were earned.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and stole 2 bases.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and an error but walked.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Marwin Gonzalez played second base in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
If Sunday was a devastating loss that shouldn't have happened, this game more than made up for it. The Blue Jays have a damn good young offense and they once again beat around Sox pitching. This Jays team reminds me of the 2000-01 Jays that were right there with the Sox and New York Yankees for first place with a killer offense, just didn't have the pitching. If the Blue Jays were to get a Roy Halladay or a David Price, they'd be back to where they were 5 years ago. The Sox once again almost scored all their runs in one inning but it wouldn't have been enough. The unsung hero in this one was Dalbec with a 3 run homer and the hit to lead off the ninth, setting the tone for the comeback. Now that the Sox have gotten Franchy Cordero and Gonzalez out of the lineup, things are starting to pick up offensively. The pitching is still a problem and with the rash of injuries in the minor leagues, getting some help may be a tall task. Still, the Sox needed to win this game because not only did the Yankees win but the Tampa Bay Rays have won 7 in a row. The AL East has 4 teams within 3 games of each other and its wide open this year with Blake Snell out of Tampa and Corey Kluber in New York. Nick Pivetta remains undefeated and we'll take it at this point. The win improved the Sox to 27-18, 1 game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow evening the Sox travel to Philadelphia for a three game National League rules set with the Phillies. Martin Perez (1-2, 3.40 ERA) goes for the Sox against Phillies ace Aaron Nola. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Citizens Bank Park.
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