All you need to know in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 10-8 loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sox pitchers can't find the plate: The Red Sox issued a staggering 10 walks in the game. And that total was achieved in the first six innings, since, remarkably, the last three Red Sox pitchers didn't allow any. At one point, Red Sox pitchers handed out seven walks in the span of just three innings, including four by Matt Hall in just 1.2 innings. Unsurprisingly, the walks proved to be highly costly for the Red Sox. While the first five Blue Jays who were walked didn't score, two in the fifth did. And, of course, the sheer number of walks served to extend innings, wear down pitchers, and increase pitch counts. Some of the walks issued may be attributed to execution -- or lack thereof. But many look like they were the result of fear, with some pitchers seemingly afraid to throw the ball over the plate. "When you're going good, you seem to attack the zone better,'' said Ron Roenicke. "When you're scuffling, you tend to pick on the corners and it usually doesn't go well. We were picking too much,. That's what happened today. We weren't getting balls in the zone or getting ahead of people.''
Offense keeps them in game: The Red Sox hit a season-high five homers Saturday night, and needed every one of them to pull off their late-inning, comeback win. On Sunday, they "only'' hit four and came up two runs short. Kevin Plawecki got the Sox off to a good start with a three-run blast into the CF bleachers in the first inning. Bobby Dalbec hit his second in as many games and third of his first week in the big leagues, and it was an impressive show of his raw power, as he drove a pitch on the outer half into the visitor's bullpen. In the eighth, the Sox hit two more -- a leadoff shot from Jose Peraza, and, with a runner on, a two-run belt from Xander Bogaerts, his second in as many games after a dreadful stretch in which he found himself 3-for-24. It's the 15th time in franchise history that the Red Sox have hit at least eight homers in the span of two games, but it still wasn't enough. Overall, they've hit 18 as a team over the last 10 games.
Injuries added to insults: Just what the Red Sox don't need: the loss of bodies. In the first inning, Yairo Munoz, who's had a fine first week with the team after being promoted from the alternate training site (including a six-hit day Friday in the doubleheader) felt something in his hip coming out of the batter's box leading off the game. Munoz made it to first, but was then replaced by pinch-runner Jonathan Arauz. He's due to be re-examined Monday to determine how long he'll be out, but it comes just as he was making an impression on the club. Later, Plawecki took a 94 mph pitch off his right hand in the seventh inning and was replaced behind the plate in the bottom of the inning by Christian Vazquez. Plawecki said later he feared he had broken his hand, but x-rays taken proved negative.
TURNING POINT
With the Sox ahead 4-1 in the fifth, Matt Hall began walking the ballpark, giving free passes to two of the first four hitters he faced. Both would come around to score that inning as the Jays overtook the Sox on the scoreboard and Hall couldn't complete the inning.
ONE UP
Michael Chavis: Chavis had good at-bats all afternoon long, collecting a double and single and two walks.
TWO DOWN
J.D. Martinez: And so it continues: one breakout day at the plate is inevitably followed by a poor one. After homering and singling and walking twice Saturday night, Martinez was 0-for-5.
Christian Vazquez: Vazquez got the day off behind the plate, and was the DH to provide some offense, but like Martinez, finished the day 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Tough day for our pitchers.'' -- Ron Roenicke, in a massive bit of understatement.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The game was the third time the Red Sox have played a nine-inning game over four hours this season.
- Xander Bogaerts has six homers and 15 RBI in his last 18 games.
- Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to nine games
- Dalbec is the fourth Red Sox with three or more homer in his first seven games.