Having lost two of three to the Dodgers over the weekend, the Red Sox eagerly welcomed the fourth-place Toronto Blue Jays Monday as a nice respite.
The Sox bashed out 13 hits and raced out to a six-run lead before holding on for dear life after the Jays managed four runs in the eighth, with the Sox walking away with a 10-8 victory.
A grand slam by Michael Chavis drove a five-run first inning and Andrew Benintendi added two hits and three RBI.
Rick Porcello earned the win, despite allowing four runs in three innings. He settled down somewhat after that, blanking the Jays over his final three innings of work.
WHO: Red Sox (50-43) vs. Blue Jays (35-59)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Boston 7-5
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (6-7, 5.33) vs. RHP Trent Thornton (3-6, 4.85)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93. 7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:15 Sloppy inning from the Sox as Ryan Brasier is knocked around for two runs. Leading by six with six outs to go, the Sox probably didn't figure they'd need their top reliever -- Matt Barnes -- to pitch in this one. But here it is.
9:42 Jackie Bradley Jr. nearly lapped Chavis on that Wall ball -- the two were about 15 feet apart as Chavis rounded third and Bradley chugged into the bag. Chavis ultimately thrown out at the plate.
9:12 Credit to Devers, who stayed with that ball -- even as it went up in the air after he gloved it and couldn't hold on. Got a second chance and fired a pea across the infield for the out on Gurriel.
8:41 Sox keep swinging and scoring -- two-run single by Devers, one-run single by Bogaerts and the runs keep coming.
8:19 Porcello isn't fooling anyone. Lots of hard-hit balls and the velocity seems to again be diminished. He's allowed 21 runs in his last 15 innings.
8:01 That's it for Thornton, who faces 11 hitters and allows five hits, three walks and two hard-hit lineouts. Sam Gaviglio on.
7:51 Within the same half-inning, the yin and yang of Rafael Devers, third baseman: first, a terrific backhand at a hot shot to get a force out at second, then later, an airmailed throw to first base, resulting in a two-base error.
7:36 A four-seamer couldn't have been any more center cut for Michael Chavis -- who crushes it to left-center for his first career grand slam.
7:33 Some wildness on the part of Trent Thornton -- two walks loaded the bases -- helps the Sox grab a 1-0 lead on a bases-loaded single to RF by Andrew Benintendi
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Benintendi LF
Chavis 1B
Bradley Jr. CF
Leon C
Holt 2B
BLUE JAYS
Sogard DH
Galvis SS
Gurriel Jr. LF
Biggio 2B
Grichuk CF
Smoak 1B
Jansen C
McKinney RF
Drury 3B
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox lost in 12 innings Sunday for their second straight loss...They're 6-3 in their last nine games and 16-9 in their last 25....The Sox have played 10 games that have lasted longer than four hours this season, the most in the majors....They also lead the A.L. in extra inning games with 10.....Xander Bogaerts has homered in three straight and has one RBI in each of his last six games -- both the longest such streaks of his career....He's the first Red Sox player to have at least one hit, one run and one RBI in six straight games since David Oritz (2016) and Manny Ramirez (2004)…Bogaerts is one of just two A.L. players hitting better than 30 with 20 or more homers -- Mike Trout is the other....He leads the Sox in homers (20), RBI (71), doubles (29), extra-base hits (49), slugging percentage (.559) and OPS (.948)….Andrew Benintendi threw a baserunner out at home Sunday night, marking the 10th time he's had an assist on an out at home since the start of 2017....The Sox have scored in the first inning 10 times in the last 13 games for a total of 24 runs.....Rafael Devers is 8-for-13 with three homers and two doubles in that stretch....The Sox lead the majors in average (.271) and tied for the MLB lead in runs scored (523)….The Sox have homered in 13 of their last 14 games...They've scored six or more runs in 14 of their last 18 games, including five of their last seven....After suffering three shutouts in their first 18 gamers, the Sox have gone 75 games without being shutout again, the second-longest active streak for a team in either league...Boston has allowed one stolen base in the last 13 games...The Sox are 7-1 in their last eight series openers....The Red Sox are just 21-24 at home this season....Mookie Betts has a six-game hitting streak with 11 hits in that span....The Red Sox have won nine of Rick Porcello's last 14 starts...He's thrown six or more innings in 11 of his last 13 starts, but has also allowed 17 earned runs in his last three starts...Justin Smoak is 12-for-43 (.279) with five homers lifetime off Porcello....Eric Sogard is 1-for-12....Devers is 3-for-3 with a homer against Trent Thornton and Betts is 3-for-6.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Andrew Cashner, obtained from Baltimore Saturday, met with reporters and said he was excited about joining the Sox. "It's really cool,'' he said. "It's special. It's a chance to join the World Series champs, so it's a chance to come in here and help these guys get to where they want to go. I think this is a dangerous team. I just don't think they've played to their potential yet.'' Cashner said he's attacked up in the zone more this season and also tweaked his changeup and enjoyed improved command.
- Hector Velazquez was optioned to Pawtucket and Ryan Weber recalled.
- Nathan Eovaldi threw 25-pitch live BP on the field Monday afternoon and is likely to start a rehab assignment either Wednesday or Thursday in Pawtucket.
- Mitch Moreland (calf) took some at-bats against Eovaldi and also fielded ground balls. He could get some at-bats with Pawtucket Tuesday and Wednesday and be activated by Friday when the Sox begin a road trip to Baltimore and Tampa Bay. "He's getting close,'' said Alex Cora.
- With Eduardo Nunez designated for assignment, Cora said he could play both Marco Hernandez or Brock Holt at short behind Xander Bogaerts.