Better late than never for the Boston Red Sox. Through five innings it looked like the inept Red Sox offense would once again do nothing against the Toronto Blue Jays. Not this time! The Sox bats woke up to score six runs in the final four innings. Xander Bogaerts went 4 for 4 to lead the charge on offense as Kike Hernandez, JD Martinez and a big pinch hit rbi double by Rob Refsnyder all aided the cause. On the other side of the ball, Michael Wacha (2-0, 1.77 ERA) tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball to put the Sox in position to win. The much maligned Boston bullpen pulled together to slam the door in the final three innings as the Sox broke their 4 game losing streak with a 7-1 victory over the Jays at the Skydome.
Stripling got the ball in the top of the first inning and Trevor Story struck out swinging on 3 pitches not even close to start. Alex Verdugo grounded out weakly to short but somehow Xander Bogaerts beat out a roller to Bo Bichette. Rafael Devers doubled into the gap in center to score Bogaerts to give the Sox the unlikely lead. JD Martinez was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the inning but the Sox led 1-0.
Wacha got the ball in the bottom of the first and George Springer flied out to center to start. Bo Bichette ripped a base hit to left but Vladimir Guerrero Jr struck out swinging after a nine pitch battle. Bichette stole second on the strikeout but Zack Collins struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as Kike Hernandez flied out to center to start. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second and Bobby Dalbec lined out to right to end the inning. Lourdes Gurriel Jr grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second before Raimel Tapia flied out to right. Matt Chapman walked but Gosuke Katoh popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the third inning as Kevin Plawecki got a base hit to left to start. Story singled to right but Verdugo flied out to left. Bogaerts ripped a base hit to left but Devers and Martinez both struck out swinging to end the inning. Naturally the Jays pounced after the Sox failed to score as Tyler Heineman got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the third. Springer singled to left and Bichette beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Guerero Jr beat out a double play ball to score Heineman and tie the game. Collins walked but Gurriel Jr struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Hernandez struck out swinging to start. JBJ hit one up the elevator shaft and Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning. Tapia grounded out to second to open the bottom of the fourth but Chapman struck out swinging. Katoh doubled to center but Heineman grounded out to first to end the inning.
Once again the Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Plawecki struck out swinging to start. Story struck out swinging and Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning. Springer grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth before Bichette grounded out to third. Guerrero Jr lined out to right to end the inning.
Trent Thornton came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Bogaerts got a base hit to right to start. Devers seeing eye singled to right to move Bogaerts to third and Xander scored on the base hit to right by Martinez. Devers moved to third on the play and he scored onnthe sac fly to center by Hernandez to increase the lead. JBJ lined out to right and Dalbec popped up to short to end the inning but the Sox led 3-1.
Shockingly Wacha was allowed to start the bottom of the sixth and Collins flied out to right to start. Gurriel Jr lined out to right and Tapia struck out swinging to end the inning. Wacha was outstanding, holding the Jays to 1 run in 6 innings to put the Sox in position to win.
The Sox blew another rally in the top of the seventh with Trevor Richards now on the mound. Plawecki struck out swinging but Story drew a walk. Verdugo lined out to left but Bogaerts walked to chase Richards. Tayler Saucedo came in to get Devers to force Bogaerts at second to end the inning. Curiously returning Sox manager Alex Cora turned to last night's goat Jake Diekman to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Chapman flied out to center to start. Santiago Espinal pinch hit for Katoh and walked but Heineman struck out swinging. That was it for Diekman as Hiro Sawamura was brought in to face Springer. Naturally George ripped a base hit to center to move Espinal to third but Bichette struck out swinging to end the inning.
Julian Merryweather came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Martinez greeted him with a double to center to begin. Hernandez doubled to left to score JD then moved to third on the sacrifice bunt by JBJ. Dalbec hit a sac fly to right to score Hernandez to increase the lead. Plawecki grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
John Schreiber made his season debut in the bottom of the eighth and Guerrero Jr lined out to second to start. Collins struck out swinging and Gurriel Jr grounded out to short to end the inning.
Andrew Vazquez came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Story was plunked to start. Verdugo ripped a base hit to center and Bogaerts singled off the glove of Chapman to score Story. Devers beat out a double play ball and that was it for Vazquez. Bowden Francis came in to pitch and Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Martinez and doubled down the left field line to score Verdugo. Hernandez struck out swinging and JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
Tyler Danish came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and JBJ made a great jumping catch to rob Tapia of a hit to start. Chapman grounded out to third and Espinal popped up to Dalbec to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-1.
Hero of The Night is Michael Wacha. He held the Jays to just 1 run in 6 innings of work. He allowed just 4 hits and struck out 5.
The Good:
Trevor Story was 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored and a hit by pitch.
Xander Bogaerts was 4 for 4 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Rob Refsnyder hit an rbi double as a pinch hitter.
Jake Diekman got the first two outs of the seventh inning.
Hiro Sawamura got the final out of the seventh inning.
John Schreiber pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Tyler Danish pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but drove in 2 runs and scores a run.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Kevin Plawecki was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox still have trouble scoring runs early but better late than never. The Jays bullpen is a weakness and the Sox took advantage of it multiple times in the last few days. The key to the game was another great start by Michael Wacha who's been Boston's best pitcher in the month of April. Who saw that coming when he was signed to essentially replace Eduardo Rodriguez? The bullpen looked shaky but managed to hold on to nail it down. Bogaerts has continued to stay hot and Sox fans are practically screaming at management to re-sign Bogaerts to a contract extension. The Sox have one game left in Toronto before heading back to the United States and the Sox will have some decisions to make regarding the roster. We'll find out in the next few days who stays and who goes. The Sox can't afford to fall too far behind in the AL East race and a win like this was much needed. The Sox look to split the series with the Blue Jays tomorrow afternoon when they send Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock (1-0, 0.66 ERA) up against Alex Manoah of the Jays. The game begins at 3:05 PM at the Skydome.
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