Before the game the Boston Red Sox made roster moves. Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran was placed on the Restricted List for the upcoming series in Toronto. Former 2019 gold glove second baseman Yolmer Sanchez and top pitching prospect Connor Seabold was promoted from Worcester for this series. Not having their budding leadoff hitter and closer isn't a good start for an important series against the Blue Jays. In minor moves, the Worcester Red Sox released pitcher Thomas Pannone and first baseman Roberto Ramos. Like I said here two months ago, Pannone was a journeyman minor leaguer just taking a roster spot until they could find someone better. The rise of Brayan Bello made Pannone expendable so he was sent packing. Ramos actually had one moment in the sun, hitting a walkoff home run on May 19th for the WooSox. Apart from that he was hitting .158 and with Triston Casas expected to be healthy soon, it was bye bye to Ramos too.
As for the game, Seabold (0-1, 13.50 ERA) should have stayed in Worcester. The rookie making only his second big league start got hammered by one of the best offenses in the league. He made the Jays swing and miss a lot but when they didn't miss, it was a disaster. Vladimir Guerrero Jr, George Springer and Matt Chapman all hit long balls and the Jays pounded Seabold for 9 hits and 7 runs, chasing him in the fifth inning. Meanwhile Kevin Gausman continued his mastery over the Sox by tossing 7 shutout innings while allowing just 4 hits. The Sox bullpen admirably held the Jays to just one hit in 3 1/3 innings and the bats rallied for a few runs in the ninth but it wasn't enough. The Jays opened the salvo in this three game set with a convincing 7-2 win over the Sox at the Skydome.
Gausman got the ball in the top of the first inning and Rob Refsnyder struck out swinging to start. Rafael Devers flied out to left and JD Martinez grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Seabold made his season debut in the bottom of the first and the Jays wasted no time getting to him. George Springer walked and Bo Bichette doubled to left to score George to put the Jays up for good two batters into the first. Vladimir Guerrero Jr struck out swinging and Alejandro Kirk forced Bichette at third on a grounder to short before Teoscar Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays up 1-0.
Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging to open the top of the second and Alex Verdugo flied out to center. Trevor Story struck out swinging to end the inning. Lourdes Gurriel Jr took strike three to start the bottom of the second and Matt Chapman flied out to right. Santiago Espinal grounded out to second to end the inning.
Christian Vazquez grounded out to short to start the top of the third and Jackie Bradley Jr struck out swinging. Bobby Dalbec got a base hit to left before he swiped second. Refsnyder walked but Devers grounded out to first to end the inning. The Jays shelled Seabold in the bottom of the third although Cavan Biggio grounded out to short to start. Springer hit a home run all the way to Vancouver, Bichette got a base hit to center and Guerrero Jr hit a home run into the Baltic Sea to ice the game. Kirk was hit with a pitch, Hernandez ripped a base hit to left but Gurriel Jr struck out swinging. Chapman struck out swinging to end the inning but the Jays had virtually ended it 4-0.
The Sox failed to respond against Gausman in the top of the fourth as Martinez went down hacking to start. Bogaerts took strike three but Verdugo got a base hit to center. Story struck out swinging again to end the inning. Espinal struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth but Biggio doubled to right. Springer grounded out to third and Bichette struck out swinging to end the inning.
Vazquez struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before JBJ flied out to right. Dalbec hit a rocket but right to Chapman to end the inning. Guerrero Jr flied out to center to start the bottom of the fifth but naturally Kirk doubled to right. Hernandez singled Kirk to third and Alejandro scored when Gurriel Jr beat out a double play ball. Chapman pounded a home run all the way to the moon to FINALLY chase Seabold. The kid was thrown right in the fire against one of the best offenses in the league and he wilted, allowing 7 runs in just 4 2/3 innings. Tyler Danish came in and to get Espinal to pop up to second to end the inning with the Jays up 7-0.
Gausman continued his masterpiece in the top of the sixth as Refsnyder grounded out to short to start. Devers got a lucky double off the second base bag but Martinez flied out to center. Somehow Bogaerts walked but Verdugo flied out to center to end the inning. Austin Davis came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Biggio was hit to start. Springer forced Biggio at second before Bichette flied out to right. Guerrero Jr took strike three to end the inning.
Story earned the hat trick by striking out swinging to start the top of the seventh but Vazquez got a lucky single to left. Christian moved to second on the grounder to second by JBJ but Dalbec struck out swinging. Guasman continued to dominate the Sox with 7 shutout innings. Hiro Sawamura came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning and Kirk grounded out to third to start. Hernandez struck out swinging to but Gurriel Jr singled to left. Chapman forced Gurriel at second to end the inning.
Bradley Zimmer came in for Hernandez with David Phelps now on the mound for the top of the eighth. Refsnyder flied out to center, Devers flied out to left and Martinez flied out to center to end the inning. Not a single Sox batter apart from Devers reached second bass tonight. Hansel Robles came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Espinal took strike three to start. Biggio struck out swinging and Springer popped up to first to end the inning.
Shaun Anderson came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning and Bogaerts got a base hit to center to start. Verdugo singled to right to move Xander to third and Story hit a sac fly to right to score Bogaerts. Vazquez got a base hit to right to move Verdugo to third but JBJ popped up to short. Vazquez took second on defense indifference and Dalbec lined one off of Anderson to score Verdugo. Refsnyder flied out to center to end the game with the Jays winning it 7-2.
Jackass of the Night is Connor Seabold. He got shelled in his second ML start, allowing 7 runs off 3 home runs in just 4 2/3 innings.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a stolen base.
Tyler Danish got the final out of the fifth inning.
Austin Davis pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Hiro Sawamura pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.
Trevor Story was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
If there was ever a "throw away" game it was this one. Seabold had no business being thrown into the fire against an offense like that but the real story was the Sox inability to hit Gausman. They had a similar problem back in 2016 but this is 2022. The Sox better figure him out quick or Jays manager Charlie Montoya is going to rig his rotation to have Kevin face them every time like when the Jays lined up Roy Halladay in 2003. The offense was a whole bag of nothing but there were two bright spots. The bullpen held the foot and none of the important relievers were forced to pitch and Bobby Dalbec had a good game. Verdugo, Vazquez and Dalbec have picked it up lately and the Sox are going to need them with Bogaerts dealing with a shoulder injury and Martinez cooling off. Still, it was only one game and the Sox have two more against Toronto to take. The Sox have a big stretch coming up on July 4th but they can make a statement now by taking the next two games if they can. Seabold definitely needs to work on his command in Worcester because at times he looked unhittable but they pounded every mistake he made. The loss dropped the Sox to 42-32, a half game ahead of the Jays for the first wild card. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night when Michael Wacha (6-1, 2.34 ERA) takes on Ross Stripling of Toronto. The game begins at 7:07 PM at the Skydome.
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