The Boston Red Sox split a day-night doubleheader with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on Wednesday, after a Tuesday night rainout.
In game one, the Sox had their chances against Jays starter Robbie Ray but would fall in the opener 4-1. Boston did take the lead on a JD Martinez RBI groundout in the first inning, before Toronto tied it on a Randal Grichuk RBI single in the second. The hosts had a huge chance in the bottom half of the second when Alex Verdugo led off with a single, Kevin Plawecki hit a ground rule double, and Bobby Dalbec walked to load the bases with no outs. Ray buckled down however getting Michael Chavis and Kike Hernandez swinging, before retiring Rafael Devers on a sharp flyout to center to escape without any damage. Grichuk hit a game winning two-run homerun in the fourth, and George Springer added a solo shot in the fifth that lead to the win.
Devers had two hits to lead the way in the loss, while Garrett Richards (6-6) took the pitching defeat allowing four runs on eight hits in 4.0 innings. Grichuk and Springer had two hits a piece for Toronto, while Ray (9-5) allowed one run on five hits with eight strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Jordan Romano earned his eighth save with a perfect seventh inning.
In the nightcap, Boston picked up the win with an identical 4-1 score. Hernandez led off the bottom half of the first inning against Steven Matz with a double to deep center, and would score on a Devers single to make it 1-0. Jarren Duran added a second inning sacrifice fly to double the lead, before Toronto cut it to 2-1 when Bo Bichette singled in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the fourth. The play of the game came in the bottom of the fourth when Plawecki singled to start it off. With one out, Duran hit one into right center and into the triangle. The line drive gap shot would score Plawecki easily, and Duran would motor towards third and then turn on the jets when Springer bobbled it trying to pick it up. Duran would beat the throw home by second baseman Marcus Semien to end the scoring, officially a triple and an RBI and an error on Springer as the Sox improved to 63-40.
Plawecki had three hits, while Hernandez and Devers had two each to help pick up the split. Tanner Houck pitched the first 4.0 innings allowing one run on two hits with seven strikeouts. Garrett Whitlock (4-1) got the win in relief. Matt Barnes hit the leadoff batter in the seventh but was able to get his 23rd save. Bichette had two hits for Toronto, while Matz (8-6) gave up four runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings and suffered the pitching defeat. The Jays are now 50-48. The Red Sox, now 2.5 games up on Tampa Bay in the American League East, go for the series win on Thursday night sending LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 5.23 ERA) to the mound. Toronto counters with LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (9-5, 3.44) at 7:10 p.m.
