The Toronto Blue Jays snapped their seven-game streak on the backs of the Red Sox, 4-3, handing the Sox their fourth straight defeat.
Mookie Betts hit the first pitch of the game out for a homer. But the only other scoring for the Red Sox came in the fifth on consecutive doubles by Rafael Devers (No. 50) and J.D. Martinez and, one out later, a run-scoring single by Andrew Benintendi. The Sox didn't get another baserunner after the sixth.
Nathan Eovaldi threw 93 pitches, but lasted only 4.1 innings, allowing three runs. The Jays went ahead for good on a two-run homer by Rowdy Tellez off reliever in the fifth.
WHO: Red Sox (76-68) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (55-89)
WHERE: Rogers Centre
WHEN: 7:07 p.m.
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Boston 10-6
STARTING PITCHING: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 5.77) vs. RHP T.J. Zeuch (0-0, 4.50)
TV/RADIO: NESN/ WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:11 The Red Sox don't have a hit since the fifth inning, having gone down in order in each of the last three innings against the Toronto bullpen.
9:03 That's all for Nathan Eovaldi, who is gone after 4.1 innings, having thrown 93 pitches.
8:48 Andrew Benintendi, in a good at-bat against a lefty, drops a bloop single into center, scoring J.D. Martinez with the go-ahead run.
8:40 That's 50 doubles for Rafael Devers. He becomes the youngest player in team history to reach that mark.
8:37 Terrific play by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who picks a hot shot off the bat of Betts, tumbles and makes a strong throw to first for the out.
8:29 Home run derby continues as Reese McGuire hammers a hanging slider out to right. Three runs in the game, all of them on solo homers.
8:11 Cavan Biggio take a big cut and drive it out to right, tying the game.
7:09 Mookie Betts, on the very first pitch of the night, homers off the left field foul pole. Homer No. 28 Betts. He's also now reached base in 24 straight, with 15 homers in his last 61 games.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Devers 3b
Martinez DH
Moreland 1B
Benintendi LF
Vazquez C
Bradley CF
Owings SS
M Hernandez 2B
BLUE JAYS
Bichette SS
Biggio 2B
Guerrero 3B
Tellez 1B
Gruchuk rF
Smoak DH
McGuire C
Davis CF
Fisher LF
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox are just 4-6 in their last 10, but have won eight of their last 10 away from home...the Sox continue to get closer to their franchise mark for homers, entering the game with 225, 13 shy of the record set in 2003....the Sox have homered in 38 of the last 41 games...
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- With the Sox eight games out in the wild card chase with just 18 games remaining, Alex Cora is being "realistic'' and giving some regulars some rest. Xander Bogaerts is sitting tonight and Mookie Betts is likely to get Wednesday off and Rafael Devers off Thursday.
- David Price played catch on the field at Rogers Centre, but will not pitch on this road trip to Toronto and Philadelphia.
- Heath Hembree is set to throw a bullpen Wednesday and remains hopeful of seeing game action before the end of the year, if for no other reason than to go into the offseason knowing that's he's heatlhy.