Kevin Gausman allowed just one run over 8.0+ innings on Thursday afternoon, and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to take the rubber game of a three game series with a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Toronto (8-5) got a Bo Bichette RBI single off Boston starter Tanner Houck in the second inning and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added an RBI sacrifice fly in the same frame for an early 2-0 advantage. The Blue Jays got what turned out to be the game winning run in the sixth when Red Sox first baseman Travis Shaw dropped a popup that was hit by Matt Chapman allowing Lourdes Guerrero Jr. to score to make it 3-0. Boston (6-7) rallied in the ninth, as Trevor Story led off with a single to end the day for Gausman and then Rafael Devers walked against Jordan Romano. Xander Bogaerts then hit an RBI double to left, and Alex Verdugo scored Devers with a groundout. The Sox were unable to bring in the tying run though as Bobby Dalbec grounded out to third, and Jackie Bradley Jr. grounded out to first.
Bogaerts had three hits and Dalbec had two to lead Boston. Houck (1-1) pitched well but took the loss allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Gausman (1-1) pitched to one batter in the ninth before being relieved and was charged with one run on seven hits without allowing a walk and struck out eight. Romano got his seventh save. Chapman had three hits, while Bichette and Raimel Tapia had two each. The Red Sox announced just before the start of the game that manager Alex Cora has tested positive for COVID-19 and did not manage against Toronto. Cora will also not travel with the team for the start of a 10 game road trip against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday night. No word yet on when his return would be. Boston will go with RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.96 ERA) in the series opener Friday at 7:10 p.m., to be opposed by Tampa RHP Corey Kluber (0-0, 1.86).
