Storming back from being down 4-0 in the first inning, the Red Sox erupted for a six-run sixth inning for an impressive comeback victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, 9-7.
Rafael Devers produced the big hit in the sixth -- a bases-clearing triple to give the Red Sox their first lead of the night. Devers and four other hitters in the Red Sox lineup each had multi-hit games and five different players knocked in at least one run.
Five Red Sox relievers contributed 5.2 innings and allowed just one run.
WHO: Red Sox (9-20) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (13-14)
WHEN: 6:37 p.m.
WHERE: Sahlen Field
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Red Sox 2-1
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Kyle Hart (0-1, 11.12) vs. RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 2.79)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Verdugo LF
Devers 3B
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Moreland 1B
Vazquez C
Pillar RF
Bradley CF
Peraza 2B
BLUE JAYS
Biggio RF
Grichuk DH
Guerrero 1B
Hernandez CF
Gurriel Jr. LF
Shaw 3B
Jansen C
Drury 2B
Espinal SS
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
9:55 Ryan Brasier looks reborn on the mound -- improved fastball velocity and good, biting slider.
9:08 Big spot for Darwinzon Hernandez, who will probably be expected to give the Sox two innings here -- while protecting a three-run lead.
9:01 Huge inning for the Sox, who explode for six runs, with a bases-loaded standup triple, followed by a sacrifice fly from J.D. Martinez, giving the Sox their first lead of the evening.
8:53 Verdugo hit the ball so hard that the Sox, with the bases loaded, could only get a run out of it. But bags still full with Devers due.
8:44 Christian Vazquez golfs a ball to straightaway center and the Sox are a single away from being back in the game.
8:14 Alex Verdugo extends his hitting streak to 14 games with an opposite-field single to left.
8:10 Instead of getting a shutdown inning following their own two runs in the top of the inning, the Red Sox allow two more -- both charged to Hart, who allowed six in just 3.1 innings. Phillips Valdez on.
7:52 Upon further review, Jackie Bradley Jr. beats out a single behind the second base bag, enabling Moreland to score from third. Red Sox have clawed back to within a run.
7:47 The Moreland Run Producing Machine continues - a double to the gap, scoring Bogaerts. He's knocked in both runs tonight and he has eight RBI in four games vs. Toronto. In 19 games to date, Moreland has 19 RBI.
7:31 Rafael Devers snaps an 0-for-10, flailing at a pitch down and away and shooting it into left field.
7:05 Mitch Moreland adds to his team-leading RBI total (19) by driving a single up in the middle, scoring Xander Bogaerts.
7:01 In each of his three major league starts to date, Hart has allowed runs in the first inning. One in his first, two in his second and four here as Danny Jansen singles to left to plate two more.
6:55 Hart left a cutter over the heart of the plate and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. takes it the other way, sending a line drive over the head of Kevin Pillar in RF, scoring two.
6:53 For the third straight start, Kyle Hart is not making things easy for himself in the first inning. Bases loaded, one out.
6:51 Looks like the sun is creating some issues for the outfielders, but Jackie Bradley Jr. makes a nice catch, coming in to snare a sinking liner.
PRE-GAME NOTES
- The Red Sox have scratched RHP Nathan Eovaldi from Wednesday's scheduled start due to a sore right calf. "It's still there some, so we're going to back him up to Saturday,'' said Ron Roenicke. "It popped up two or three days ago. He went out to long toss and when he did, his calf cramped. We didn't think it was any big deal, but the next day he still felt it some, so we decided to push it back. Eovaldi was set to throw a bullpen today to test the leg. "
- "I'm able to play catch and keep the arm strength and everything there,'' said Eovaldi. "It's just right when I try to get into (my delivery) I can feel it a little bit. We've been doing the treatment, doing everything. It's not going to keep me out too long. We're just going to play it safe and not let this thing get too worse. I use my right leg to drive forward. Being a power pitcher, I can't get down there safely right now.''
- With Eovaldi unavailable Wednesday, the Sox will go with Colten Brewer as their starter Wednesday. "I think ideally, we would like him to be somewhere in the middle, picking up important innings in a game,'' said Roenicke. "I think it's more necessity that we're doing this. Not to say that he can't do it. But really, he's filling in. We weren't sure when he would pitch this week, but with Nate pushed back to Saturday, we thought it was a good place to slip him in.''
- Christian Vazquez, whose name has come up in trade speculation, says he's not consumed by the rumors. "We don't control that,'' he said. "We can control coming here and working hard every day. I'm going to be sad if I left Boston. I've only been here, with one organization and my goal is to retire here. That's my goal in my career -- be a part of one organization, have one jersey on my chest all my career. But we don't control that. We're baseball players. We come here to play, play hard and do my best to help the team win.''
- OF Andrew Benintendi (strained rib cage) has yet to resume baseball activities. "We're still waiting to get him back,'' said Roenicke. Roenicke said Benintendi doesn't have an oblique pull, and the problem is limited to his rib cage.