The comeback magic ran out on the Boston Red Sox as the Toronto Blue Jays finally scored so many runs the Sox couldn't come back from. Nick Pivetta (6-2, 4.28) got shelled for 6 runs in just 5 innings, allowing FOUR home runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Cavan Biggio, Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette all smashed home runs off Pivetta to put the Jays up big. The Sox did manage to get a couple of runs to cut it to 6-2 but Reese McGuire took Brandon Workman deep to wrap up the scoring. The Sox had chances to come back but couldn't cash in, and the Blue Jays knocked out the Red Sox 7-2 at Fenway Park.
As usual the Blue Jays wasted no time scoring first off Pivetta. Marcus Semien lined out to third but Bo Bichette ripped a base hit to center. Who else but Vladimir Guerrero Jr hit a home run all the way to Dubai, India to put the Jays up for good 3 batters into the game. Teoscar Hernandez struck out swinging and Randal Grichuk grounded out to third to end the inning with the Jays up 2-0.
Matz began his dominance in the bottom of the first as Kike Hernandez led off by striking out swinging. Alex Verdugo grounded out to third and JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez took strike three to start the top of the second but Christian Vazquez picked up a squibber hit by Joe Panik and threw it into the Monster Seats for an error. Cavan Biggio hit a ground rule double into the right field stands and Reese McGuire hit a liner to center. Panik tried for home and Hernandez came up gunning....OUT! Panik was out and the inning was over. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the second when Rafael Devers got a base hit to left to start....only to get picked off. Hunter Renfroe walked and Vazquez hit a routine grounder to the mound only for Matz to throw the ball away. Christian Arroyo took strike three but Vazquez swiped second. With a chance to tie the game...Bobby Dalbec hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Semien struck out swinging to start the top of the third and Bichette grounded back to the mound, but Guerrero Jr walked. Guerrero swiped second but Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. Matz dominated the bottom of the third as Marwin Gonzalez grounded back to the mound to start. Hernandez grounded back to the mound and Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Grichuk struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth before Tellez grounded out to second. Panik grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Matz continued to dominate the bottom of the fourth as Martinez struck out swinging to start. Devers whiffed badly but Renfroe walked. Vazquez flied out to left to end the inning.
The Jays got homer happy in the top of the fifth as Biggio hit one all the way to Arizona to ice the game. McGuire walked and Semien smashed one all the way to Ontario, Canada. Bichette blindfolded himself, spun around three times and still hit a home run to Saturn. Guerrero Jr grounded out to first and Hernandez grounded out to third. Grichuk took strike three to end the inning but the game was over 6-0. Pivetta lasted just 5 innings and allowed four home runs.
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fifth as Arroyo struck out swinging to start. Dalbec hit a lucky triple into the left field corner but naturally Gonzalez struck out swinging and Hernandez popped up to short to end the inning.
Brandon Brennan made his season debut in the top of the sixth and naturally the Jays smacked him around. Tellez and Panik slashed back to back base hits before Biggio lined one off the mound to load the bases. Somehow McGuire struck out swinging and Semien banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth although Verdugo grounded back to the mound to start. Martinez singled to center but Devers forced him at second. Renfroe was plunked and Vazquez knocked home Devers with a base hit to left. That was it for Matz as Anthony Castro came in and froze Arroyo for strike three to end the inning with the Sox down 6-1.
Brennan returned for the top of the seventh and Bichette grounded out to short to start. Guerrero Jr walked but Hernandez flied out to center. Guerrero Jr was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning...but wait! Toronto challenged the call but it was upheld. Dalbec struck out swinging to start the bottom of the seventh before Gonzalez also went down hacking. Hernandez was plunked to chase Castro. Tim Mayza came in and Verdugo grounded into a force to end the inning.
Grichuk flied out to left to start the top of the eighth before Tellez walked. Panik then hit a line drive off the glove of Arroyo who threw to Dalbec for the out. Tellez then got tagged out in a rundown to end the inning. Jonathan Davis came in for Panik and Rafael Dolis came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Martinez walked to start and took second on a wild pitch before Devers tripled into the right field corner. The potential rally ended as Renfroe took strike three down the middle and Semien made a spectacular diving catch to rob Vazquez of an rbi single. Devers was halfway home when Semien caught it and was doubled off to end the inning with the Sox down 6-2.
Brandon Workman came in to allow another run in the top of the ninth. Biggio hit a rocket that Hernandez had to climb the centerfield wall for but McGuire hit a home run all the way to Belarus to wrap up the scoring. Semien grounded out to short and Bichette hit a rocket to center ran down by Hernandez to end the inning with the Jays up 7-2.
McGuire hits one out
Jordan Romano came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Arroyo grounded out to third to start. Dalbec grounded back to the mound and Danny Santana pinch hit for Gonzalez. Santana struck out swinging to end the game. The Jays had won it 7-2.
Jackass of the Night is Nick Pivetta. He allowed FOUR home runs and 6 runs total in 5 innings of work.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hunter Renfroe walked twice and was hit with a pitch.
Brandon Brennan tossed 3 scoreless innings in his season debut.
The Bad:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Danny Santana struck out as a pinch hitter.
Brandon Workman allowed a run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch and made an outfield assist.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with an error but drove in a run.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
Good grief the Sox pitching has taken a nosedive recently. It took two amazing comebacks to win the last two games but this time the offense couldn't bail them out. The Jays picked up where the Houston Astros left off and just hit balls all around Fenway. The Sox will be sprinting to the plane to Atlanta on Monday when this series is over. Pivetta couldn't keep the ball in the yard and its a shame considering how well he's pitched this season to this point. Hopefully it was just a bad game because with the deterioration of Eduardo Rodriguez, injury to Tanner Houck in AAA and the news Chris Sale won't be back until August, the Sox need Pivetta to stay healthy and effective. Say whatever you want about how bad the pitching was, the bottom line is the Sox bats only had 5 hits. They had plenty of chances to drive in more than just 2 runs but couldn't do it. The Jays had no problems hitting balls out of the park so what's Boston's excuse? It was a bad game all around and the worst part is the Tampa Bay Rays once again beat the Baltimore Orioles. The only silver lining is the New York Yankees came back down 7-2 to tie the game against the Philadelphia Phillies only to lose in a walkoff. If you think the Sox are in a funk, they have nothing on the Yankees. Can the Sox not have to come from behind tomorrow in their next game? The loss dropped the Sox to 39-26, 2 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow afternoon in Game 3 of this four game set when Martin Perez (4-3, 3.88 ERA) takes on Robbie Ray of the Jays. The game begins at 1:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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