All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 4-3 win over the Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Luck on their side: After squandering a two-run lead in the top of the eighth, the Red Sox quickly re-took the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning. It was virtually gift-wrapped by the Blue Jays. Xander Bogaerts doubled, stole third and, with one out and the Toronto infield in, Blake Swihart hit a pop-up a few feet onto the outfield grass. Second baseman Yangervis Solarte drifted back, camped under the popup...and dropped it as Bogaerts sprinted home with the go-ahead run. "It worked out,'' said Bogaerts. "We got lucky.'' The Sox didn't lament their blown lead for long and showed some of the same resilience they've demonstrated for much of the season. "It's just good for us to know, as a team, that we're capable of doing it,'' said Bogaerts, "whenever a situation like that presents itself.''
Bullpen issues continue: The Sox led 3-1 going into the eighth inning, but two batters in, Bobby Poyner allowed a solo homer to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to close the margin to a run. After Poyner got the second out, Alex Cora brought in Joe Kelly to face switch-hitter Justin Smoak and that's when trouble really started. Kelly walked Smoak on four pitches, allowed a single to Kendrys Morales, then hit consecutive batters -- the second of which forced in the tying run. Kelly faced four hitters, threw 15 pitches (just five for strikes) and was unable to record an out. "As you saw, it wasn't a good one,'' said Cora in a bit of grand understatement. "He didn't execute tonight. We trust the guy. There's two outs in the eighth and we expect him to go out there and get the out.'' IF you're keeping track, the Red Sox have been outscored 77-to-69 in the eighth inning.
ERod sharp: This was Eduardo Rodriguez's third start back since coming off the disabled list. The first one was excellent (5.2 IP; 3 H; 1 ER; 12 K); the second one (3.1 IP; 6 H; 5 ER) was poor: and Thursday's was, all things considered, perhaps his best yet. Rodriguez allowed jut one run on five hits while fanning seven over six innings. Although the strikeout numbers were higher in his outing against the White Sox two weeks ago, Rodriguez had the benefit of dealing with his full arsenal against the Jays. "I would say I could use more of my pitches tonight,'' said Rodriguez. "Early in the count, I was working with everything -- the changeup, the cutter, the slider and the two-seam. The one in Chicago, I was mostly throwing my fastball and I was painting the corners good. The one with Houston, I was missing a lot of the plate and they took advantage of it.'' Rodriguez was cruising after six, having thrown just 78 pitches and retiring the last 12 hitters he faced in a row, but Cora determined that, for his third time back, that was plenty.
TURNING POINT
After Joe Kelly had surrendered the one-run lead with which he was entrusted, Brandon Workman came in with the bases loaded and, on three pitches, struck out pinch-hitter Billy McKinney, stranding three runners. Cora was impressed that, after Workman got up 0-and-2, he went for the kill with another fastball. "To be able to expand up in the zone in that situation is great to see,'' said Cora. "He did an outstanding job.''
TWO UP
Craig Kimbrel: Pitching for the third time in the last four games, Kimbrel was sharp, retiring the Jays in order to notch his 40th save. Kimbrel has saved 40 or more games five times in his career.
Rafael Devers: Devers came off the bench after Eduardo Nunez was removed after aggravating his right knee. In his first at-bat, he hit a long homer to right field.
ONE DOWN
Andrew Benintendi: Inserted into the leadoff spot with Mookie Betts getting the night off, Benintendi suffered through his second straight 0-for-4 night at the plate.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He needs to get better. He needs to get better and he knows it.'' - Alex Cora on Joe Kelly.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox saw their magic number to clinch the A.L. East drop to six.
- The Sox are 55 games over .500 for the first time since 1912.
- The 15 wins against Toronto this season are the most any team has ever had in a season against the Blue Jays.
- The Sox racked up their 15th series sweep.
- J.D. Martinez finished with eight homers in 19 games against the Jays.
- The homer by Rafael Devers was his first since Aug. 8