As for this game, what a bloodbath. The Sox are fading fast and now their pitching is as bad as their collective hitting. Nathan Eovaldi (9-7, 4.07 ERA) got shelled in a NINE run fifth inning by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth when Eovaldi fell apart, being charged with 7 runs before being pulled. Hansel Robles allowed two of his own and a 2-0 lead turn into a 9-2 deficit. The Sox did fight back with a two run homer by Hunter Renfroe in the 6th inning but Austin Davis, Martin Perez and infielder Jonathan Arauz all allowed runs to the red hot Jays offense. It all added up to a 12-4 beating by the Jays at the Skydome.
Alek Manoah got the ball in the top of the first inning and Kike Hernandez lined out to short to begin. Alex Verdugo singled to center but JD Martinez banged into a double play to end the inning. Eovaldi got George Springer to pop up to short to start the bottom of the first and Vladimir Guerrero Jr grounded out to third. Marcus Semien doubled to left but Bo Bichette flied out to center to end the inning.
Xander Bogaerts grounded back to the mound to start the top of the second but Rafael Devers drew a walk. Hunter Renfroe went down hacking and Marwin Gonzalez took strike three to end the inning. Teoscar Hernandez took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Lourdes Gurriel Jr flied out to center. Alejandro Kirk walked but Randal Grichuk popped up to third to end the inning.
Christian Vazquez flied out to left to start the top of the third but Franchy Cordero grounded out to first. Hernandez flied out to center to end the inning. Breyvic Valera grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third before Springer struck out swinging. Guerrero Jr flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fourth as Verdugo doubled to right to start. Martinez grounded out to short to move Verdugo to third and Alex scored on the sac fly to right by Bogaerts. Devers lined out to second to end the inning with Boston up 1-0.
Semien grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fourth but Bichette got a base hit to left. Hernandez flied out to center and Gurriel Jr struck out swinging to end the inning.
Boston got another one in the top of the fifth although Renfroe struck out swinging to start. Gonzalez singled in the hole at short and Vazquez walked, but Cordero struck out swinging. Hernandez got a base hit to center to score Gonzalez and increase the lead. Verdugo walked to load the bases but Martinez popped up to first to end the inning. That out would be huge as the Sox only led 2-0.
All hell broke loose in the bottom of the fifth as Kirk, Grichuk and Valera stroked three straight doubles to tie the game in an instant. Springer flied out to left to move Valera to third and Guerrero Jr was intentionally walked to set up a double play. The gamble initially worked as Semien struck out swinging but Bichette singled home Valeria and Hernandez cleared the bases with a double to center. Gurriel Jr compounded the attack with a 2 run home run to chase Eovaldi. He was cruising through four and just fell apart, just one of those days. Hansel Robles came in to pour gas on the fire as Kirk singled to left, Grichuk was plunked and Valera singled to the left of Robles to load the bases. Springer hit a ground rule double down the left field line to score Kirk and Grichuk. Guerrero Jr grounded out to third to end the inning but the Jays had scored 9 runs to ice the game 9-2.
Ryan Borucki came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Bogaerts struck out swinging to start. Devers walked and Renfroe smashed his 18th home run of the season to cut the lead. Gonzalez popped up to first but Vazquez singled to left to chase Borucki. Bobby Dalbec pinch hit for Cordero and Rafael Dolis was brought in to face him. Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 9-4.
Austin Davis came in to get tagged in the bottom of the sixth as Semien doubled to left to start. Bichette struck out swinging but Semien swiped third and scored on the Hernandez base hit to center. Gurriel Jr forced Hernandez at second and Kirk lined out to center to end the inning but it was 10-4 Jays.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the seventh as Hernandez grounded out to short to start. Verdugo struck out swinging but Martinez singled to left. Bogaerts and Devers worked back to back walks to load the bases but Renfroe popped up to short to end the inning. Martin Perez came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Grichuk singled to center to start. Valera popped up to third but Springer tripled tp center to score Grichuk. Guerrero Jr grounded out to first and Semien struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays ahead 11-4.
Brad Hand came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Gonzalez struck out swinging to start. Vazquez flied out to center but Dalbec singled in the hole at short. Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. Jonathan Arauz the infielder came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Bichette lined out to right to start. Hernandez singled to left, Gurriel Jr doubled to to left and Kirk hit a sac fly to right to score Hernandez. Grichuk hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Jays up 12-4.
Jonathan Arauz...pitcher
Santiago Espinal took over at third with Tayler Saucedo now on the mound for the top of the ninth. Verdugo struck out swinging, Arauz grounded back to the mound and Bogaerts grounded out to short to end the game. The Jays had won it 12-4.
Jackass of the Night is Nathan Eovaldi. He was charged with 7 runs to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Rafael Devers walked 3 times and scored a run.
Rafael Devers walked 3 times and scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 2 at the plate.
The Bad:
Hansel Robles allowed 2 inherited runners to score and 2 of his own in 1/3 of an inning.
Austin Davis allowed a run in the sixth inning.
Martin Perez allowed a run in the seventh inning.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 1 at the plate and allowed a run in the eighth inning.
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and drove in a run.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but hit a 2 run home run.
Marwin Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox are totally out of sync and haven't looked right since the All-Star break. Tonight's ass whooping was just another sign of the times that the first half magic is gone. The Jays hit everything that moved in this game and even if the bullpen held up, they still would have lost because they didn't generate enough offense. The Sox are fading fast out of the AL East race as now they're 2.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays and only 4 games in front of the fourth place Jays. This is the time where the Sox should be making a run but instead they've dropped another crucial game. Eovaldi's had an up and down year and today was definitely a downer. Can't blame Sox manager Alex Cora for pulling the plug on him today, he simply didn't have it. The fact that the big trade deadline acquisitions Davis and Robles got tagged is also pretty frightening. The loss dropped the Sox to 64-47, 2.5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow is a doubleheader with the Jays and Game 1 will be Nick Pivetta taking on Robbie Ray. The game starts at 3:05 PM at the Skydome.
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