Once again the Boston Red Sox found a new way to lose in 2026. The team that was winless when trailing by 3 runs and trailing after 8 innings remained that way as the Jays rallied late to drop them on their fourth straight loss. The Jays got to Sonny Gray for 3 runs in 7 innings while the Sox amounted nothing against Trey Yesavage the first six innings. The Sox scratched out a run in the bottom of the seventh and from out of nowhere got back to back jacks by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Caleb Durbin to tie the game. Only for indomitable closer Aroldis Chapman (0-2, 0.83 ERA) to allow an rbi double by Brandon Valenzuela to put the Jays ahead in the top of the ninth. The 0-39 Sox after 8 innings went quietly in the ninth to drop to 0-40, lose the game and get swept by the Jays 4-3 at Fenway Park.
Gray got the ball in the top of the first and George Springer struck out swinging to start. Vladimir Guerrero Jr hit a home run all the way into the Atlantic Ocean to put the Jays up just two batters into the game. Jesus Sanchez grounded out to first but Yohendrick Pinango walked. Ernie Clement flied out to left to end the inning with the Jays up 1-0.
Yesavage got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mickey Gasper hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Ceddanne Rafaela popped up to second and Wilyer Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning.
Nathan Lukes grounded out to first to start the top of the second but Kazuma Okamoto doubled to left. Brandon Valenzuela got a base hit to right to move Okamoto to third and Kazuma scored on the sac fly to left by Andres Gimenez. Springer doubled to left but Guerrero Jr grounded out to second to end the inning with the Jays up 2-0.
Willson Contreras grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second and Jarren Duran struck out swinging. Isiah Kiner-Falefa popped up to second to end the inning.
Sanchez flied out to center to start the top of the third and Pinango popped up to third. Clement lined out to left to end the inning. Caleb Durbin flied out to center to start the bottom of the third and Connor Wong struck out swinging. Andruw Monasterio struck out swinging to end the inning.
Lukes flied out to center to start the top of the fourth and Okamoto grounded out to third. Valenzuela
Gray deserved better
took strike three to end the inning. Gasper pounded a ground rule double down the right field line to start the bottom of the fourth and Rafaela dropped down a bunt to move Mickey to third. Naturally Abreu popped up to center and Contreras struck out swinging to end the inning as the crowd booed.
Gimenez grounded out to first to start the top of the fifth and Springer grounded out to short. Guerrero Jr grounded out to short as well to end the inning. Duran lined out to right to start the bottom of the fifth and Kiner hit one up the elevator shaft. Durbin popped up to second to end the inning.
Sanchez got a base hit to right to start the top of the sixth and moved the second on the Pinango grounder to first. Clement hit a roller to short and Sanchez was thrown out at third. Clement was picked off to end the inning. Bad baserunning. Wong took strike three to start the bottom of the sixth and Monasterio popped up to first. Gasper flied out to center to end the inning.
The Jays finished off Gray in the top of the seventh as Lukes hit a home run all the way to Cleveland to start. Okamoto struck out swinging, Valenzuela flied out to center and Gimenez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays up 3-0. That was it for Gray who allowed 3 runs in 7 innings, normally that would be good enough to win.
Suddenly the Sox sprang to life in the bottom of the seventh as Rafaela doubled to left to start. Abreu lined out to right to move Ceddanne to third and Contreras grounded out to short to score Rafaela. Duran grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Justin "Incinerator" Slaten came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Springer got a base hit to right to start. Guerrero Jr flied out to right and Sanchez struck out swinging, but Pinango doubled to center. Springer came around but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Davis Schneider came in for Sanchez, Myles Straw took over for Pinango and Kiner somehow launched his second home run of the year to start the bottom of the eighth. Durbin then went back to back with his fourth home run of the season to tie the game. Wong grounded out to short and that was it for Yesavage. Tommy Nance came in and Monasterio flied out to right. Gasper got a single in the hole at short and Nate Eaton ran for him. Eaton stole second to put the go-ahead run at second....but Rafaela grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Durbin ties it up
Aroldis Chapman came in to blow the game in the top of the ninth as Clement got a base hit past the mound to start. Lukes popped up a bunt to Wong and Okamoto struck out swinging. Valenzuela then hit one up the elevator shaft.....NO! Wong dropped the ball and Valenzuela was given new life. Naturally he doubled high off the monster to score Clement all the way to first to suck the life out of the park. Gimenez popped up to second to end the inning with the Jays ahead 4-3.
The Sox were 0-31 when trailing by 3 runs and 0-39 when trailing after eight innings going into the bottom of the ninth with Mason Fluharty now on the mound. Abreu flied out to center, Contreras grounded out to third and Duran popped up to third to end the game. Opposing closers were now 40 for 40 against the Sox as the Jays won 4-3.
Jackass of The Night is Connor Wong. He dropped an easy pop up that would have ended the ninth inning, instead the Jays took the lead.
The Good:
Mickey Gasper was 2 for 4.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was 1 for 3 with a home run.
Caleb Durbin was 1 for 3 with a home run.
Sonny Gray tossed 7 solid innings allowed 3 runs off 6 hits and a walk while striking out 4.
Justin Slaten pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Connor Wong was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Andruw Monasterio was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Aroldis Chapman took the loss by allowing a run in the ninth.
The Ugly:
Willson Contreras was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
Nate Eaton ran for Gasper in the eighth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Bad teams find a way to lose and the Red Sox do it every day. The Sox hadn't won a game when trailing by 3 or in the ninth all year and they were just about to pull it off. They somehow rallied down 3-0 to tie the game and had 2 outs in the top of the ninth....and Wong drops an easy pop up followed by a rare Chapman blown save. Why Sox GM Craig Breslow still has a job is beyond anyone's rational thinking. The Sox roll over and die in the ninth every single game and its an organizational failure. Opposing pitchers are pounding the strike zone at will because this team doesn't hit home runs. That's why they rarely draw a walk because pitchers don't have to be afraid. Kiner and Durbin tagging Yesavage was the aberration instead of the normal. Any other GM would be making trades or bringing up rookies from AAA to give them a shot to create a spark. Breslow literally puts his hands behind his head and watches every single game. This is one of the worst teams in Sox history and its all on him now. Can't use Rafael Devers or Alex Cora as a boogeyman anymore. John Henry, Sam Kennedy and Craig Breslow should all face their shame. The loss dropped the Sox to 29-43, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Seattle for a three game set with the Mariners out west. Ranger Suarez (2-3, 3.21 ERA) takes on Bryce Miller of the Mariners. The game begins at 10:10 PM eastern time at T-Mobile Park.
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