A two-run double by Rafael Devers in a five run second inning proved to be the difference on Thursday night, as the Boston Red Sox chased Toronto Blue Jays starter Kevin Guasman after just 3.1 innings on their way to finishing off a four game sweep at Fenway Park by a score of 11-5.
In a game that Toronto never led, Masataka Yoshida took the first pitch he saw from Gausman with one out in the bottom of the first inning and hit a solo homerun over the right centerfield fence in the triangle for a quick 1-0 Boston lead. The bottom of the second was a work of art by the Red Sox. Triston Casas singled to lead it off and Emmanuel Valdez walked. With one out, Reese McGuire singled to score Casas. Ramiel Tapia then hit a ground forceout for an RBI that the Jays couldn’t turn a doubleplay on, before Yoshida singled to make it 4-0. Devers then nailed the game winner on a ball that would of been a homerun in most parks, but he settled for the two-run double off the right field fence to cap off the five run outburst and a 6-0 lead. A Tapia steal and a wild pitch by Gausman to get Tapia to third base also helped add to the run total. Yoshida and Jarren Duran had RBI singles in the fourth, while Justin Turner had an RBI single and Devers a two-run homerun in the eighth to finish the Boston scoring. The Blue Jays (18-14) got their runs on a solo homerun and an RBI double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., RBI singles by Bo Bichette and George Springer, and an RBI sacrifice fly by Daulton Varsho. Toronto has now lost five in a row.
Brayan Bello (1-1) earned his first win on the mound for Boston allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Yoshida, Turner, Devers, and Duran had three hits each. Devers drove in four and Yoshida had three. The Red Sox (19-14) have won six straight games and have moved into third place in the A.L. East, 1/2 game better than Toronto. Bichette, Guerrero Jr., and Varsho had two hits a piece for the Blue Jays. Gausman (2-3) gave up eight runs on 10 hits in 3.1 innings in taking the loss. Boston begins a three game series in Philadelphia with the Philllies on Friday night at 7:05. The Sox send lefty Chris Sale (2-2, 6.75 ERA) to the hill to face right hander Zack Wheeler (3-1, 3.86) for the Phillies in the opener.
Story by Chris Lessner/Video highlights courtesy of the MLB website
