In an ugly game that felt more like the 2020 season, the Red Sox established a franchise record by allowing eight homers in an 18-4 pasting by the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the last two games alone, the Blue Jays have hit 13 homers and scored 25 runs. The top three spots in the Blue Jays' lineup produced 14 RBI.
Starter Martin Perez couldn't get out of the second inning in his second straight shelling. Ryan Weber, called up earlier Sunday to provide bullpen depth, allowed 11 runs on 13 runs in 5.2 innings.
The Sox got homers from Xander Bogaerts and Bobby Dalbec.
WHO: Red Sox (39-26) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (32-30)
WHEN: 1:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: 1-1
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: BOS 4-3
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Martin Perez (4-3, 3.88) vs. LHP Robbie Ray (3-2, 3.36)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
BLUE JAYS
Semien 2B
Bichette SS
Guerrero Jr. 1B
Hernandez RF
Grichuk DH
Gurriel Jr. LF
Biggio 3B
Adams C
David CF
RED SOX
Hernandez CF
Verdugo RF
Martinez LF
Bogaerts SS
Renfroe DH
Arroyo 2B
Dalbec 3B
Plawecki C
Santana 1B
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T7: Clearly the problem was not starting Marwin Gonzalez, who threw as hard as 90 mph and as soft as 43 mph while retiring the Jays in order on just 11 pitches.
B5: Signs of life -- Kike Hernandez cracks a double to left-center, and with two out and the runners going, scores two.
T5: The beating continues: Sacrifice fly by Marcus Semien, followed in short order by a monster three-run shot from Bo Bichette. Five homers today, 10 in the last two games.
T4: Hernandez connects again, crunching a curveball into the Monster Seats in left-center. Fourth homer today for Toronto ninth in the last 13 innings.
T4: Jays continues to pound away -- three singles this inning produce another run.
T3: Christian Arroyo's play at second base has been a revelation, as exemplified there. Thought he had no chance of getting the lead baserunner there, but did a nice job spinning and getting a quick throw to second that began a 4-6-3 DP.
T2: Martin Perez last two starts: 3.1 IP, 12 H, 11 ER. Gulp.
T1: And yet another homer: a solo blast, over everything in left, by Lourdes Gurriel Jr, who drives a cutter on the inner half. Six homers in 10 innings...and counting.
T1: It does not begin well again for the Red Sox. Martin Perez hangs a changeup over the middle of the plate and Teoscar Hernandez lines it into the front row of the Monster Seats for a quick 3-0 lead. That's six homers in the last 10 innings for the Jays.
WHAT'S UP: The Sox are 7-3 in their last 10 and 14-8 in their last 22....The Sox are also 16-4 in their last 20 against teams from their own division, including a 5-0-1 mark in their last six series against teams from the East....The Sox are 17-17 when the opponent scores first this season...Red Sox starters have dropped to eighth in the AL in ERA at 4.47...After not allowing no more than two homers in their first 64 games, the Sox allowed five on Saturday, including three in the same innings...Nick Pivetta allowed four; prior to that, no Red Sox starter had allowed more than one homer in the previous 46 starts....The Sox are 9-8 against the Blue Jays since the start of 2020...Eleven of the last 17 meetings have been decided by either one or two runs... The Sox lead the league in doubles (142) and extra-base hits (227)...They're think in slugging percentage at .433....The Sox are still outhomering opponents 79-56, for a plus 23, the biggest difference in the AL and second in MLB to the Giants who are plus-27....Martin Perez is 4-1 with a 3.71 ERA over his last five and has allowed three runs or fewer in four of the last five starts, including two runs or fewer in three....He's held lefty hitters to a .185 batting average in his last six starts...Right-handed hitters, meanwhile, have hit .263....He leads all of baseball in called third strikes with 37....Teoscar Hernandez is 4-for-8 with a homer against Perez while Randal Grichuk is 3-for-10.....Bobby Dalbec has a three-game hitting streak with three extra-base hits (homer, double, triple) among his last four hits....Danny Santana is just 2-for-33 since starting his Red Sox career 3-for-11....J.D. Martinez has a three-game hitting streak....Kike Hernandez is 9-for-41 with four homers against Robbie Ray and Danny Santana is 3-for-5 with all three hits homers....
NOTES:
* The Red Sox made a roster move before the start of the game, designating RHP Brandon Brennan and recalling Ryan Weber. Brennan pitched three scoreless innings Saturday in his debut. Weber is here in case the Sox need length out of the bullpen. Weber was 2-2 with a 4.63 ERA at Triple A Worcester.
* Alex Cora gave a start at third base to Bobby Dalbec, wanting him to remain comfortable at the position while also giving Rafael Devers a day off.