It was a great night for Boston sports as the Boston Celtics won their 18th NBA Championship with their Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the NBA Finals. Also, the Red Sox smashed the Toronto Blue Jays. Tyler O'Neill hit two home runs to pace the offense that pounded out 11 hits and 7 runs. Nick Pivetta (4-4, 3.88 ERA) tossed 7 gutty innings allowing just 3 runs to earn the win. Things got hairy in the ninth inning when the Jays put two runners on against Brad Keller, but Kenley Jansen got the final out to win the game 7-3 at the Skydome.
Yusei Kikuchi got the ball in the top of the first and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Rob Refsnyder struck out swinging but Tyler O'Neill mashed his 13th home run of the season to put Boston on top. Rafael Devers then clobbered his 14th home run of the season to go back to back. Connor Wong flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Pivetta got the ball in the bottom of the first and Davis Schneider popped up to short to start. Danny Jansen flied out to left but Vladimir Guerrero Jr singled to center. Daulton Varsho struck out swinging to end the inning.
Romy Gonzalez flied out to right to start the top of the second and Bobby Dalbec struck out swinging. David Hamilton also struck out swinging to end the inning. Justin Turner walked to start the bottom of the second and George Springer got a base hit to center to moved Justin to third. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a sac fly to center to score Turner to cut the lead and Ernie Vlement singled to left. Kevin Kiermaier struck out swinging and Clement was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning with the Jays down 2-1.
Ceddanne Rafaela joined the homer parade with his 8th of the season to start the top of the third. Duran flied out to left and Refsnyder struck out looking, but O'Neill clobbered his 14th home run of the season to increase the lead. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 4-1.
Schneider grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third and Jansen struck out swinging. Guerrero Jr lined out to right to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the fourth as Wong got a base hit to left to start. Gonzalez got a base hit to left and Dalbec got a base hit to center. Kiermaier bobbled the ball and Wong scored another run. Hamilton struck out swinging, Rafaela struck out swinging and Gonzalez was thrown out at home after Dalbec got picked off first to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
Enmanuel Valdez came in for Hamilton to start the bottom of the fourth and Varsho flied out to center to start. Turner doubled to left but Springer hit one up the elevator shaft. Kiner singled off the glove of Devers to put runners at the corners but Clement flied out to center to end the inning.
Trevor Richards came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Duran flied out to left to start. Refsnyder took strike three and O'Neill grounded out to third to end the inning. Kiermaier flied out to center to start the bottom of the fifth and Schneider struck out swinging. Jansen got a base hit to center but Guerrero Jr flied out to right to end the inning.
Devers flied out to right to start the top of the sixth and Wong grounded out to second. Gonzalez walked but Dalbec forced him at second to end the inning. The Jays got a run back in the bottom of the sixth although Varsho hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Who else but Turner hit a home run all the way to Ottawa to cut the lead. Springer grounded out to third and Kiner lined out to short to end the inning with the Jays down 5-2.
Pivetta gets the job done
Had to be him....great
The Sox answered in the top of the seventh with Tim Mayza now on the mound. Valdez grounded out to first but Rafaela got a base hit to right. Duran got a base hit to left and Refsnyder doubled to right to score Rafaela. O'Neill was intentionally walked and Devers hit a sac fly to center to score Duran. Wong took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 7-2.
Good work Refsnyder
Pivetta returned for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh and Clement got a base hit to left to start. Kiermaier grounded into a double play but Schneider hit a home run all the way to Montreal to cut the lead. Jansen lined out to left to end the inning with the Jays down 7-3. That was it for Pivetta who battled for 7 innings and allowing 3 runs on 9 hits and a walk.
Brandon Eisert came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Gonzalez singled to left to start. Dalbec flied out to right but Valdez walked. Gonzalez looked to have stolen third but the Blue Jays challenged he was out, turns out he was. Rafaela walked but Duran grounded out to second to end the inning. Brad Keller came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Guerrero Jr lined out to right to start. Varsho popped up to short and Turner lined out to left to end the inning.
Refsnyder walked to start the top of the ninth but O'Neill grounded into a double play. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. Springer flied out to left to start the bottom of the ninth and Kiner flied out to right. Suddenly Clement got a base hit to center and Kiermaier walked. Sox manager Alex Cora panicked and brought in Kenley Jansen to save the day. Both runners advanced on defensive indifference and Schneider popped up to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-3.
Sox win
Tyler O'Hero
Romy Gonzalez was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Enmanuel Valdez walked in two plate appearances.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but hit a home run and drove in two total runs.
Hero of The Night is Tyler O'Neill. His two home runs powered the offense in this one.
The Good:
Romy Gonzalez was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Enmanuel Valdez walked in two plate appearances.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Nick Pivetta got the win by tossing 7 innings of 3 run ball. He allowed 9 hits and a walk while striking out 4.
Brad Keller tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Kenley Jansen earned his 12th save by getting the final out in the ninth inning.
The Bad:
David Hamilton was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked and drove in a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but hit a home run and drove in two total runs.
Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
Don't know what Cora was thinking to bring in Jansen at the end other then micromanaging every game like its Game 7 of the world series. Even if Schneider hit a home run the Sox still had the lead. Otherwise it was a good game all around with O'Neill hitting a couple of rockets, Devers hitting a rocket and other guys getting on base. Five guys only had one hit the whole game but either scored a run or knocked in one. That's definitely timely hitting for sure. Kudos to Pivetta for tossing 7 strong innings to give the bullpen a rest, if only Jansen could have had the night off but that's on Cora. The Sox suddenly caught fire winning 6 of 8 since that Chicago disaster on June 8th. Hopefully they can keep the momentum going on this road trip. The win improved the Sox to 38-35, 11.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to win their fourth game in a row and second against the Toronto Blue Jays tomorrow night. Tanner Houck gets the start for the Sox against Chris Bassitt of Toronto. The game begins at 7:05 PM at the Skydome.
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