Boston pitcher Chris Sale fires a pitch in a game earlier this season at Fenway Park against Colorado. Sale broke his losing streak at home Thursday afternoon pitching the Sox to a win over the Blue Jays. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner
Chris Sale went six innings and struck out 12 without allowing a run on Thursday afternoon, winning for the first time at home this year and first time in over a year. Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts provided the sparks offensively with homeruns as the Boston Red Sox took three of four games with the Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-0 win at Fenway Park.
Sale and Toronto starter Anthony Pannone were in a pitching duel over the first four innings in a scoreless contest. Sandy Leon finally broke through for Boston with the only offense the Sox would need with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. Betts then walked, and Devers took the first pitch he saw from Pannone over the fence in right center field to make it 4-0. It was the second homer in as many games for Devers, and his 19th on the year. Betts greeted Jays reliever Derek Law with a solo homer to center in the bottom of the seventh on a 2-2 pitch to end the scoring.
Sale (4-9) had a final line of 6.0 innings, no runs and two hits, with two walks and 12 strikeouts. He threw 101 pitches, 67 for strikes. It is the first home victory since July 11, 2018 for the left hander. Marcus Walden came out of the bullpen and allowed no runs or hits over 2.0 innings. Darwinzon Hernandez pitched a perfect ninth inning. Sox pitchers struck out 15 batters on the afternoon. Betts and Xander Bogaerts each had two hits, while Devers had the big blow with the three run long ball and is now hitting .325 on the season. Pannone (2-4) suffered the loss allowing four runs on five hits over 4.1 innings. Justin Smoak and Brandon Drury had the only hits for Toronto (36-62).
Boston (53-44) now heads to Baltimore to open a three game series with the last place Orioles on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The Sox will send David Price to the mound in the opener, as he will be opposed by John Means.
