As for the game, we have a winner for worst loss of the season. For 5 1/2 innings it looked like the Boston Red Sox would cruise to an easy victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Lucas Giolito had tossed 5 shutout innings and home runs by Alex Bregman and Carlos Narvaez had the Sox up 6-0. Then everything fell apart as Giolito got tagged for three runs in the bottom of the sixth and Garrett Whitlock gave up a three run bomb to Anthony Santander in the bottom of the seventh. The game plunged into extra innings and Sox manager Alex Cora refused to play small ball, failing to score in the 10th. Alejandro Kirk smacked a bases loaded single in the bottom of the 10th off Justin Slaten (0-1, 3.48 ERA) to give a shocking 7-6 victory to the Jays at the Skydome.
The Sox wasted no time getting to "opener" Yariel Rodriguez in the top of the first inning. Jarren Duran walked but was thrown out at home on a double to right by Rafael Devers. A wild pitch moved Rafael to third and he scored on a balk. Alex Bregman made up for Duran by launching his seventh home run of the season to increase the lead. Trevor Story grounded out to short but Wilyer Abreu walked. Kristian Campbell struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Giolito made his long awaited debut in the bottom of the first and naturally Bo Bichette got a base hit to center. Vladimir Guerrero Jr popped up to second and Anthony Santander took strike three, but George Springer walked. Daulton Varsho struck out swinging to end the inning.
Eric Lauer came in to pitch the top of the second and Triston Casas struck out swinging to start. Ceddanne Rafaela walked and promptly stole second, but Carlos Narvaez grounded out to third. Duran ripped a base hit to left to score Rafaela and took off for second. Alejandro Kirk threw the ball away to put Duran on third and Jarren scored on the double to center by Devers. Bregman struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
Kirk grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second before Addison Barger popped up to short. Andres Gimenez took strike three to end the inning.
Story flied out to center to start the top of the third but Abreu drew a walk. Abreu got picked off and Campbell struck out swinging again to end the inning. The Jays threatened in the bottom of the third as Ernie Clement ripped a base hit to left to begin. As usual, Bichette got a base hit to center but Guerrero Jr was frozen for strike three. Santander flied out to right and Springer watched strike three go by to end the inning.
Casas took strike three to open the top of the fourth and Rafaela lined out to center. Narvaez popped up to second to end the inning. Varsho flied out to left to start the bottom of the fourth and Kirk took strike three. Suddenly Toronto hitting coach David Popkins ran out of the dugout screaming carrying a sickle. He swung and missed at home plate umpire Derek Thomas and was escorted out of the Skydome by armed security. Barger flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the fifth as Duran got a base hit inside the first base bag to start. Devers flied out to left but Bregman was hit with a pitch. Story moved the runners over with a grounder to third but Abreu popped up to short to end the inning. Gimenez struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Clement grounded out to third. Bichette flied out to center to end the inning.
Chad Green came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Campbell flied out to right to start. Casas walked but Rafaela forced him at second. Narvaez then clobbered his third home run of the season to seemingly ice the game. Duran grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 6-0.
Things looked good at this point
Suddenly the Jays sprang to life in the bottom of the sixth against Giolito although Guerrero Jr grounded out to third to start. Santander lined out to center but Springer walked. Just like that, Varsho hit his first home run of the season and Kirk hit the roof of the Skydome to cut the lead in half. Barger grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox still up 6-3. Giolito was cruising but still tossed 6 innings of 3 run ball while allowing 5 hits and 2 walks.
Giolito deserved better
Yimi Garcia came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Devers grounded out to short to start. Bregman popped up to short and Story struck out swinging to end the inning. Garrett Whitlock came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the seventh as Gimenez flied out to left to start. Clement got a base hit to center but Bichette flied out to center. Guerrero Jr singled to left and Santander hit a ball through the top of the Skydome to tie the game just like that. Springer flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 6-6.
Jays tie it up
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the eighth with Brendon Little on the mound. Abreu got a base hit to center before being forced at second by Campbell. Romy Gonzalez pinch hit for Casas and struck out swinging. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning. Varsho got a base hit to center to start the bottom of the eighth before Kirk lined out to center. Barger forced Varsho at second and Myles Straw pinch ran for Barger. Gimenez grounded out to first to end the inning.
Jeff Hoffman came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Narvaez grounded out to second to start. Duran flied out to center and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning. Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Clement flied out to center to start. Bichette flied out to right and Guerrero Jr struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox failed to play small ball in the top of the tenth with Devers starting the inning at second base. Bregman struck out swinging, Story grounded out to third and Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. Justin Slaten came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth with Guerrero Jr starting at second base. Santander lined out to center to move Guerrero to third and Springer was intentionally walked. Varsho was intentionally walked and Kirk got a base hit to left to score Guerrero with the winning run. Down 6-0 with 2 outs and the bases empty in the sixth, the Jays had rallied to win the game 7-6 in 10 innings.
Jays win
Jackass of the Night is Garrett Whitlock. It would have never had come to Slaten in the 10th if Whitlock haven't given up the bomb to Santander in the seventh.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Wilyer Abreu was 1 for 3 with 2 walks.
Lucas Giolito tossed 6 solid innings allowing 3 runs off 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Kristian Campbell was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Justin Slaten allowed the winning run to score on 2 walks and a base hit.
The Ugly:
Alex Bregman was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but was hit with a pitch and hit a home run.
Triston Casas was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored two runs.
Carlos Narvaez was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Final Thoughts:
Literally this game was over with 2 outs in the sixth and the Jays came all the way back. That's as big of an embarrassing loss as you can think of this season. They've been a .500 team or worse since July of 2021 and games like this are a big reason why. They should have put the Jays away but they didn't do it. Give a lot of credit to Toronto for never giving up but losses like this shouldn't happen. Can't even blame Slaten in the 10th for Giolito and Whitlock giving up bombs to blow the lead. Giolito was pitching well too, that's the worst part. Just another frustrating loss in a season full of them and probably a lot more ahead too. The Sox finish the month of April at 17-15, 1.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to take the series tomorrow night when Tanner Houck (0-2, 7.58 ERA) goes up against Jose Berrios of Toronto. The game begins at 7:05 PM at the Skydome.
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