Final: Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 7

In a wild back-and-forth affair, the Red Sox finally secured an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Marco Hernandez delivered the game-winner with a pinch-hit homer with one out in the top of the ninth.

The Sox had rallied from a 6-1 deficit to go up 7-6, but Brandon Workman surrendered two doubles in the bottom of the eighth for the 18th blown save for the Red Sox bullpen this season.

Workman then came back out for the ninth and got the final three outs and the win.

Red Sox starter Hector Velazquez lasted just 1.2 innings and the Sox needed five more relievers to finish the game out.

WHO: Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays
WHEN: 7:07 p.m.
WHERE: Rogers Centre
SERIES TO DATE: 1-1
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Boston 6-5
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Hector Velazquez (1-3, 5.31) vs. RHP Derek Law (0-1 6.91)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM

IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

10:25 Yet another huge pitch hit for the Red Sox -- Marco Hernandez comes off the bench to swat a line drive over the fence in left, putting the Sox ahead again.

10:13 Brandon Workman hangs a couple of curveball in the eight, and both are belted for doubles, tying the game. That's 18 blown saves for the bullpen.

9:54  There's your typical Matt Barnes inning -- a walk, two wild pitches and two strikeouts.

9:18  Why anyone would throw Chavis a breaking ball at this point is beyond me. But Tim Mayza does and Chavis doesn't miss it, clubbing it out to left for a three-run shot, giving the Sox the lead, erasing a five-run deficit.

9:16  Freddy Galvis saves a run with a sliding stop, resulting in a fielder's choice at second. Run scores from third, and the Sox have closed to within two.

9:02 Impressive plate coverage for Xander Bogaerts, who reaches out for a pitch a foot out of the strike zone and slaps it to right, scoring Betts.

8:40 Pannone has totally shut down the Red Sox lineup, allowing just one hit over the last 4.1 innings. He's faced 14 hitters and retired 13.

8:32 Batting practice continues for the Jays, with the second homer of the inning, third of the night and sixth in the last two games. This one, a two-run, oppo shot from Freddy Galvis that just sneaks over the wall, inside the left field foul pole.

8:22  Jansen homers. Again. Second in as many at-bats and third in the last five going back to Wednesday night.

7:44 Velazquez leaves a fastball up and over to Danny Jansen -- and knew it. Homer to straightaway center.

7:31  Walks come back to haunt Hector Velazquez. Two free passes load the bases and a double by Sox-killer Rowdy Tellez produce two runs.

7:10 Rafael Devers with an opposite-field homer to get things going. In his last seven first-inning at-bats, since being moved to No. 2: Devers is 6-for-7 with two homers.

LINEUPS



RED SOX

Betts RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez LF
Holt 2B
Vazquez DH
Bradley CF
Chavis 1B
Leon C

BLUE JAYS

Sogard RF
Galvis SS
Gurriel Jr. LF
Biggio 2B
Smoak 1B
Tellez DH
Hernandez CF
Jansen C
Drury 3B

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox dropped a 6-3 decision to the Blue Jays Wednesday night, their fourth loss in the last five games and sixth in the last nine....The Sox have a five-game winning streak going on Independence Day, outscoring opponents 40-12....All-time, the Sox are 94-67 (.584) on the 4th of July...The Sox are 12-3 on getaway days this season and 17-10 in series finales, including 15-6 in the last 21 such games...The Sox are 10-2 in their last 12 games as the road team and 22-9 since April 19....Christian Vazquez has homered in each of his last three games and six of his last 13....He's the first Sox catcher since Jason Varitek in 2008 to homer in three straight games...He's also hit safely in his last 14 starts and has reached safely in his last 18...Rafael Devers has a seven-game hitting streak, during which he's 16-for-31 (.516) with seven doubles, two homers, 1o runs scored and 10 RBI....Over their last 16 games the Sox are averaging 6.9 runs....The Sox have homered in seven straight game for a total of 14 homers...They also have managed at least four extra-base hits in their last seven games...In his last five games, Jackie Bradley Jr. is 10-for-21 with just two strikeouts....Over his last 12 games, Bradley has an OBP of .464...Xander Bogaerts leads all A.L. shortstops in OPS (.922), OBO (.388), extra-base hits (44), doubles (28), runs (64), RBI (58) and walks (49)….Mookie Betts has a four-game hitting streak, during which he's drawn six walks.....He's second in walks in MLB, with 65, behind only Mike Trout (73)….Michael Chavis has six extra-base hits in the last seven games....J.D. Martinez has hit safely in his last six games, with five RBI in that span...Since returning from the Injured List, Brock Holt leads the Red Sox with a .358 batting average....The Sox are 4-3 in Hector Velazquez's seven starts this season, including a 3-1 mark in his last four....This is his first start since May 18....He's 1-3 with a 6.41 ERA as a starter this season...He's 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA in his career against the Jays....Justin Smoak is 4-for-6 with a homer lifetime against Velazquez....Bogaerts is 11-for-36 (.306) with two homers lifetime against Marcus Stroman...Vazquez is 7-for-19 in his career against Stroman...Betts, meanwhile, is hitting just .216 (8-for-37) with nine strikeouts.