TORONTO – In desperate need of a win to halt their four-game slide, the Red Sox were in trouble with nine outs to go, trailing by a run.
But in the seventh, the team rallied for four runs off the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen and posted a critical 6-5 victory over the Jays. Coupled with the Indians’ win in New York, the victory moved the Sox back to a 3.5 lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East.
Christian Vazquez delivered the big blow with a two-run homer into the second deck in left. An infield single by Mitch Moreland and a bases-loaded walk to Xander Bogaerts accounted for two more runs.
Craig Kimbrel allowed a two-run homer to Justin Smoak in the ninth to make it tight, then walked Jose Bautista to put the potential tying run on base. But he got Kendrys Morales to pop to short for the final out.
Drew Pomeranz, who worked in and out of trouble much of the night with five walks and seven hits allowed, won for the fourth time in his last five decisions. Pomeranz hasn’t lost since June 11.
He fell behind 2-0 in the first on consecutive doubles to Bautista and Morales. After the Sox scratched out solo runs in the second (Hanley Ramirez scoring from third on a throwing error) and third (solo Eduardo Nunez homer) off Toronto starter Marcus Stroman, the Jays took the lead again in the fourth on three straight hits, topped by a run-scoring single from Ryan Goins.
GAME NO.: 131
WHO: Red Sox (73-57) vs Toronto Blue Jays e Orioles (61-69)
WHEN: 7:07 p.m.
WHERE: Rogers Centre
TV: NESN
RADIO: WEEI (93.7 FM)
PITCHERS: Drew Pomeranz (13-4, 3.18) vs. Marcus Stroman (11-6, 3.17)
BOX SCORE: MLB Gameday
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
- Rafael Devers continues to show incredible poise and instincts. In the bottom of the fifth, with the bases loaded and the Sox trailing by a run, he fielded a grounder from Kevin Pillar. After first checking first, he regrouped and threw home to cut down Josh Donaldson with a perfect throw to the plate. The throw had to be threaded over Pillar's head, but Devers got it there with some heat and cut down a run.
- Mookie Betts leads the major leagues in defensive runs saved with 27, and in case you wondered why, there was evidence in the bottom of the third here at Rogers Centre. Toronto DH Kendrys Morales drove a ball to the opposite field which Betts tracked to the scoreboard in right. Then, timing his leap perfectly, Betts went airborne to grab the ball and take extra bases away from Morales. It seems like Jackie Bradley Jr. turns in more acrobatic, highlight-type plays, but Betts is the more valued defender. He covers more ground, and because right field in Fenway is so large and asymmetrical, is presented with more challenges.
- Drew Pomeranz appears to go through stages with his control. For a stretch of outings in July, he walked five, two, five and four in four starts. Then, over the next four starts, he walked one, one, two and one. But the pattern has reversed itself again. Pomeranz walked five in his last outing in Cleveland last week and three in the first three innings here tonight. In addition to creating baserunners for himself -- one of the walks issued in the first tonight scored -- he also runs his pitch count up prematurely when he's issuing walks.
- This game can be hard to predict. Xander Bogaerts came into tonight, the Red Sox shortstop has hit .306 over his previous 13 games. Not eye-opening, but definitely a better trend considering how much Bogaerts has struggled at times this season. Add to that that Bogaerts has had great success against Marcus Stroman (10-for-23, .435). So what happens in his first two at-bats tonight? Two strikeouts. Go figure.
- Hanley Ramirez found himself hitting seventh in the Red Sox lineup Monday for the first this season -- and only the 10th time in his career - as part of an effort by manager John Farrell to get Ramirez going, and frankly, to try someone else in the cleanup spot as Ramirez continues to scuffle this month. Ramirez is slashing just .200/.309/.357 this month with two homers and nine RBI in 19 games. "We've had a lot of (run-producing) opportunities that have come up,'' said Farrell, "and I think Hanley would be one of the first ones to acknowledge that this month, in particular, has been a little bit of a tough stretch for him. So, a little bit of a shuffle to the lineup.'' The Sox would like to see Ramirez use the entire field more in his at-bats, rather than focused on pulling the ball.
- Dustin Pedroia did some running on the infield surface at Rogers Centre, doing sprints and some change-of-direction drills He then hit during batting practice, then repeat the same steps Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Sox plan to have Pedroia run the bases. At that point, Farrell said, the Sox will have a better read on whether Pedroia could be activated for the series in New York this weekend. "With the increase in intensity and the pounding (the knee will take) running the bases will generate,'' said Farrell, "that will be a more indicative read at that point.''
- Jackie Bradley Jr. hit in the cage pre-game and will take BP on the field Tuesday. It's quite possible that Bradley could be activated Saturday in New York, when he's first eligible. "He's making very good strides,'' said Farrell.
- Under the watchful eye of Farrell, David Price long-tossed on the outfield warning track, then threw some breaking balls from a shorter distance.
- Back on the road and facing a righthander, the Sox have Brock Holt in left with Andrew Benintendi in center. They like Beninetendi to handle center on the road, with Holt and Rajai Davis platooning in left.