Archives for July 4, 2019

Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays

When: 7:07 PM ET, Thursday, July 4, 2019
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

TORONTO – The Boston Red Sox continue to look nothing like the club that rolled to a World Series championship a year ago, falling 11 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East. The Red Sox will look to avoid a second series loss to Toronto in under two weeks when they wrap up a three-game set with the host Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Toronto used the long ball to level the series, getting two-run homers from Danny Jansen and Brandon Drury in Wednesday’s 6-3 victory. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also went deep, giving him a major league-leading 15 homers since he was recalled from the minors on May 24. Boston’s pitchers have allowed at least six runs in seven of its last nine games, including all four meetings against the Blue Jays. Rafael Devers has eight RBIs in the series while Christian Vázquez homered for the third straight game for the Red Sox, who may catch a break with the uncertain status of scheduled Toronto starter Marcus Stroman today. 

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Sportsnet, TVA (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (5-7, 5.07 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (5-9, 3.18)

A long trip across the Pond resulted in nothing more than a cameo for Porcello, who managed to escape with a no-decision despite being ravaged for six runs and five hits in only one-third of an inning by the Yankees on Saturday. He also was hit hard in his previous turn versus Toronto, giving up five runs on eight hits over six innings to fall to 10-12 with a 5.47 ERA against the Blue Jays. Justin Smoak is 12-for-43 with five homers, three doubles and 14 RBIs against Porcello.

Stroman has won both starts versus Boston this year but left his last outing due a pectoral cramp and told reporters Wednesday that he was leaning toward skipping Thursday’s start. Left-hander Thomas Pannone, scheduled to start for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, is the most likely replacement after striking out 22 and allowing two earned runs in three outings since he was sent back to the minors. Pannone pitched at least three innings in three of his 23 appearances with Toronto.

WALK-OFFS

1. Vazquez is 8-for-18 with three homers and seven RBIs in a four-game hitting streak while Devers has hit safely in seven in a row.
2. Jansen is 4-for-8 with two homers and four RBIs in the series and has gone deep in four of his last six games.
3. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts struck out four times on the day he was named an injury replacement for the All-Star Game.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays 6, Boston Red Sox 3

When: 7:07 PM ET, Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Attendance: 16,883
By Field Level Media

TORONTO – Brandon Drury had three hits, including a two-run, go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, Jacob Waguespack earned his first career major league win, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Boston Red Sox 6-3 Wednesday night.

Danny Jansen added a two-run homer and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a solo shot for Toronto to set up the rubber match in the three-game series Thursday.

Christian Vazquez homered for Boston. 

Waguespack (1-0) allowed three runs and six hits with four strikeouts in five-plus innings after the Blue Jays used an opener for one inning. It was Waguespack’s second career major league game.

Ken Giles pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save.

Chris Sale (3-8) allowed five runs, nine hits — including three home runs — and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out five.

David Phelps was the Blue Jays’ opener, allowing a walk, inducing a double play and finishing the first inning with a strikeout.

Waguespack took over in the second. He had been on the injured list since May 28 due to a shoulder strain, and had three outings on a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Buffalo.

The right-hander allowed two runs in the third. Michael Chavis doubled and took third on Brock Holt’s single. Chavis was retired in a rundown between third and home on a grounder by Mookie Betts, leaving runners at second and third for Rafael Devers, whose two-run single extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Gurriel hit his 15th homer of the season in the bottom of the third.

Vazquez belted his 13th homer in the top of the fourth, and Jansen tied the game in the bottom of the inning when his sixth homer followed Justin Smoak’s walk. It was Jansen’s second homer in two games.

The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead on Drury’s seventh homer, in the sixth, following a two-out single by Rowdy Tellez. The long ball chased Sale in favor of Marcus Walden.

Tim Mayza replaced Waguespack in the seventh after a leadoff single by Vazquez. Mayza allowed a one-out double to Chavis.

Daniel Hudson came on to pitch and retired pinch hitter Eduardo Nunez on a fly to shallow left and Betts on a strikeout. Hudson pitched around an infield single in the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, Steven Wright walked Tellez, gave up a double to Drury and a sacrifice fly to Freddy Galvis.

Right-hander Sean Reid-Foley was optioned to Buffalo on Wednesday to make room for Waguespack.