All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 10-4 loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Cashner unimpressive in debut: One of the things that attracted the Red Sox to Andrew Cashner was how well he'd been pitching of late, having allowed just five earned runs in his last five starts prior to coming over from the Orioles. But that stretch didn't continue for Cashner, who allowed a three-run homer in the second, another solo run in the third and, finally, two more in the sixth before he could record an out, ending his night. "I didn't think I was very sharp,'' acknowledged Cashner. "I didn't really command my off-speed stuff very well. I didn't really do a lot of things well but I felt like I kept us in the game.'' Cashner did pitch into the sixth, which is far better than the Sox had been getting from the assortment of pitchers they've auditioned in the No. 5 spot. But they had expected more from Cashner. Part of it may have been rust -- Cashner was starting on 11 days' rest.
Betts, Bogaerts continue hot streaks: For the entire game, the Red Sox managed nine hits and four runs. Of those, Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts combined for six hits (three each) while also knocking in two runs. Those two were the Red Sox' offense. Betts singled in the first, singled and scored in the fifth and lead off with a single in the seventh and is now hitting .281, a jump of about 20 points since the final week before the All-Star break and now has an eight-game hitting streak. Bogaerts, meanwhile, put the Red Sox on the board with a first-inning homer, giving him five homers in the last seven games and seven in his last 14. He later singled home two runs in the fifth and in the ninth, with the Sox down to their last out, ripped a double into the left field corner for his third hit.
TURNING POINT: The Red Sox clawed back against the Blue Jays with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game at 4-4 after a run-scoring single from Betts and a two-run single from Bogaerts. The rally brought some electricity to the ballpark. But it didn't last long. Cashner came back out for the top of the sixth, and on his very first pitch, allowed a go-ahead homer to Justin Smoak, taking away all the momentum the Sox had seized and handing the lead back to the visitors.
SECOND GUESS: In the sixth inning, with a man on and Brock Holt due against incoming lefty reliever Tim Mayza, Alex Cora opted for Sam Travis as a pinch-hitter over Holt. Cora cited the pitching matchup as his prime reason, but Mayza's been only marginally better against lefties (.207) than righties. Moreover, Holt has literally been the hottest hitter in the American League for nearly two month, hitting .375 since late May.
ONE UP:
Darwinzon Hernandez: Getting his introduction to a bullpen role in the big leagues, he had a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
ONE DOWN:
Heath Hembree: Hembree gave up three straight rockets to start the ninth -- a triple, double and single -- as the Jays piled on with late insurance runs.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"I'd say that was probably the toughest blow of the game.'' Andrew Cashner, on giving up the go-ahead homer on the first pitch of the sixth after his teammates had rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
- Xander Bogaerts became the second Red Sox player with a hit, run and RBI in eight straight games. Ted Williams is the other.
- The Sox have scored in the first inning in 12 of their last 15 games.
- Andrew Benintendi posted his second assist in the last three games in left field.
- Bogaerts posted his third straight three-hit game.