The Red Sox scored seven unanswered runs over the final two innings, highlighted by a pinch-hit three-run homer by Brock Holt in the seventh inning which helped lift the hosts to a 7-2 win on the night Chris Sale returned to the mound.
Sale pitched one inning on Tuesday night in his first start in a month, throwing 26 pitches at Fenway Park before giving way to the Red Sox bullpen. The plan was for Sale to go for two innings or 40 pitches but he ended up finishing his final 14 pitches (40 was his max pitch count) in a bullpen session after he was relieved by Brandon Workman.
Seven pitchers combined to cover the final eight innings for the Sox, allowing just four hits and two earned runs to the Jays. Nate Eovaldi looked sharp for most of his 3 2/3 innings in a long relief stint, while Alex Cora mixed and matched around him for the final three innings as the bats came alive.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:12: Sox tack on three more runs for insurance in the bottom of the 8th after Benintendi, Martinez and Kinsler string together hits. Sox managed five hits in the last two innings after tallying just two over the first six.
9:35: Score one for Alex Cora in the managing the game column. With runners on the corners and two outs, Cora planned on having Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Sandy Leon. At the last second, he audibles to Brock Holt, who manages to hit a 3-run bomb to right field.
9:21: The Sox offense comes alive in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to Steve Pearce who crushed a triple to the wall in center, driving in Xander Bogaerts. Jays go to the bullpen after 6 1/3 innings.
8:55: Blue Jays finally break through in the sixth off Eovaldi with the help of a double steal. After a couple of hits, a double steal attempt led to a poor throw to the plate by Ian Kinsler, which got the first run across. A second bloop single to center scored another runner and chased Eovaldi from the game after a solid outing. Brasier comes on to clean up the mess.
8:28: Three very encouraging innings for Eovaldi, who has allowed just a hit and a walk over that stretch over an efficient 47 pitches. Sox haven't been able to figure out Borucki (one hit over four innings) so we remain scoreless through five.
8:03: Nice pickoff by Eovaldi after the early walk after taking over for Workman in the third inning. He gets out of the inning with two straight outs after the pickoff. He's looking for a strong couple innings after a couple of stinkers lately.
7:45: Sale comes back to the dugout after completing his 40 pitches in the bullpen. A good sign he finished things off out there, indicating no physical setback by the quick outing, perhaps just command issues on the mound.
7:32: Sale does not come out for the second inning, which can't be considered a great sign. He was expected to go for two innings or 40 pitches, but after a rocky start, the Sox pulled the plug on him early. He went to the bullpen to finish off his 40 pitches. Brandon Workman comes in for the second with Eovaldi warming for the third.
7:25: It wasn't the prettiest first inning for Sale, but he managed to fight his way through it. After sacrificing a leadoff double, Sale struck out Travis and Smoak. He hit Kendry Morales with a pitch before eventually getting Grichuk to pop out to second. The velocity was there (he hit 98mph) but his command was not as strong as usual (12 of his 26 pitches were balls).
WHO: Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays
WHEN: 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (12-4, 1.97) vs. LHP Ryan Borucki (3-4, 4.39)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Benintendi LF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Pearce 1B
Kinsler 2B
Nunez 3B
Leon C
Bradley CF
BLUE JAYS
Gurriel Jr (SS)
Travis (2B)
Smoak (1B)
Morales (DH)
Grichuk (RF)
Pillar (CF)
Hernandez (LF)
Diaz (3B)
Jansen (C)
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Chris Sale will pitch for two innings in his return to the mound before giving way to Nathan Eovaldi for the middle innings. Alex Cora said before the game he didn't expect Sale to hold back at all with his velocity in his return.
- Sox will clinch a playoff (wildcard) spot with a win tonight or a loss by the Rays and Mariners.
- David Price remains on schedule to make his next two starts before the team ramps him down ahead of the postseason.
- The Sox remain up by eight games over the Yankees in the AL East. The magic number for them to clinch the division is 11 games.
- At 98-46, the Sox would need to go 8-10 or better in their final 18 games to break the franchise's single-season wins record of 105 (1912).