Alex Verdugo had a leadoff game winning solo homerun in the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon, lifting the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 come from behind win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The Sox sweep the Jays for a second time this season, now 7-0 against them in 2023.
Boston, who moves back over the .500 mark at 43-42, jumped on top early when Jarren Duran who had a big afternoon doubled to begin the game off Kevin Gausman and would score on a two out single by Rafael Devers. Toronto (45-40) didn’t take long to tie it up when Brandon Belt nailed a solo homerun to right field off Garrett Whitlock with two outs in the bottom half of the first inning. Whitlock had to leave his start after just one inning with right elbow soreness. The same combination came through for the Sox in the third, as Duran doubled for a second time with one out and scored on a Devers single with two down to take a 2-1 lead. The Blue Jays then would take their first lead of the day in the bottom half. Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer had back to back singles with one out, stole second and third base respectively, and would both score on a single by Bo Bichette to right for a 3-2 advantage. Bichette was thrown out by Verdugo trying to extend it to a double. Belt made it 4-2 with his second solo homer of the contest in the bottom of the sixth inning to centerfield. Boston tied it in the seventh when Duran doubled once again, his fourth of the game, and scored on a single by Justin Turner. The next batter Verdugo would groundout to shortstop, and Turner kept running trying to advance from first to third on the play. The throw to third by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was wild down the left field foul line that went as an error, and Turner trotted home to even things 4-4. The game winner by Verdugo came on the first pitch of the ninth by Jordan Romano, a 96 MPH fastball that Verdugo launched to right field at 108.4 MPH and 415 feet for the no doubt solo shot. Lefthanded reliver Joe Jacques finished off the sweep by retiring the side in order in the last of the ninth for the save.
Duran went 5-5 at the plate with four doubles and an infield single, and scored three runs in the win. Devers had three hits and two RBI, and Rob Refsnyder would also add a pair of hits. Chris Martin (2-1) was credited with the pitching win in relief working a perfect eighth inning, and Jacques got his first save. Whitlock is scheduled to undergo an MRI after feeling stiffness in that right elbow. Romano (3-4) took the loss on the hill for Toronto. Gausman went the first 5.0 innings in his no-decision allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. Belt had two hits in the defeat with his two solo homeruns, and Bichette knocked in the other two runs with his third inning single. Boston will now have Monday off before opening up a six game homestand to finish the first half, beginning with a three game set at Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon with a special Fourth of July game beginning at 1:35 p.m. against the leaders from the American League West the Texas Rangers. Both starting pitchers for the two clubs on Tuesday are TBA.
Later Sunday afternoon it was announced that closer Kenley Jansen will be the lone representive from the Red Sox in the All-Star Game on July 11th in Seattle. The right hander with over 400 career saves will be appearing in his fourth career midsummer classic, the first since 2018 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will also be the first time he will appear as a member of the American League team.
Story by Chris Lessner/Video highlights courtesy of the MLB on YouTube
