All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 10-6 victory over the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ insight and analysis:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sox continue to do damage early: For much of the season, the first inning has been too quiet for the Red Sox. Until recently, it was the inning in which they scored the fewest numbers of runs, in part, because they were getting so little out of their leadoff spot to start the game. But lately, that's begun to change. It started last Wednesday on the final game of their homestand when they scored twice against the White Sox. It continued Saturday in London when Sox erupted for six in the first, matching the Yankees' output in the top of the inning. It was more of the same Sunday when the Sox belted three first-inning homers in scoring four more. And following a day off, the Sox picked right up where they left off with four more runs against Toronto, helping to set the tone for the rest of the night. In the last four games, that's a total of 16 runs, or an average of four per game. That kind of start provides momentum for the entire lineup and, obviously, early run support for a rotation that hasn't always had much of that this season.
Price continues to be Sox' most trusted starter: David Price gave the Red Sox one of his typical outings for 2019 -- six innings pitched, two runs allowed. Price has been the picture of consistency this season, providing quality start after quality start. In 15 outings this season, he's had eight quality starts. And on three other occasions, he's gone five innings and allowed two runs or fewer. In fact, only twice has Price failed to deliver: once when he came out of the game with flu-like symptoms in Houston and another time, when he was shelled for six runs in an inning and a third. Take that start out of the mix and Price would have had a 2.66 ERA going into Tuesday's start. He had one rough inning -- the second -- when he showed atypical wildness, issuing two walks in the span of three hitters. But he settled down after than and three 1-2-3 innings immediately following. A leadoff walk in the sixth and a longish inning probably prevented him for going back out for the seventh, but by then, the game was well in hand.
Kelly's debut a rocky one: Rhode Island native Trevor Kelly made his major league debut in the ninth inning. Added to the roster on Monday's off-day, Kelley had a tough go of it, allowing three runs on two hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Kelley throws from a unique sidearm angle and has actually been tougher on left-handed hitters than righties, which defies logic given his delivery. He engaged in an 11-pitch at-bat with Eric Sogard before issuing a walk and allowed solid contact to both Dan Jansen and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Kelley doesn't overpower hitters, with a fastball in the low 90s, and got just swing-and-miss in the inning, which featured 33 pitches before he fanned Justin Smoak for the final out. He relies on deception to induce weak contact, but Jays' hitters were squaring him up in the ninth. Perhaps this was a matter of rookie nerves in his debut, which is certainly understandable.
TURNING POINT
Even after the Red Sox got off to a 5-1 start after an inning and a half, the Blue Jays weren't rolling over. In the second inning, the Jays scored a run of their own and had the bases loaded for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. But Price got Guerrero to fly out to center, stranding three and ending the threat. Had Guerrero gotten a big hit there, the lead would have narrowed and who knows how the game would have played out. As it was, Price ran off 10 outs in a row and the game was under control again.
TWO UP
Christian Vazquez: The catcher continued to wield a hot bat with three hits -- a double, single and homer -- and three RBI.
Mookie Betts: There were signs of life at the top of the order as Betts reached base four times five plate appearances with two hits, two walks, a stolen base three runs scored.
ONE DOWN
Andrew Benintendi: Benintendi has been in-and-out of the lineup in the last week with heavy legs. He returned to the starting lineup Tuesday, but didn't look himself, going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Putting points on the board right away -- that's what we did all of last year and I think finally, we've started doing that this year.'' Alex Cora on scoring in the first inning.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The win snapped a three-game losing streak.
- The Red Sox improved to 4-1 in Toronto this season.
- For the 10th time in the last 11 games, Red Sox pitchers reached double figures in strikeouts.
- The Sox have scored at least six runs in each of their last six games.