All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox mash in Buffalo finale: OK, the Red Sox didn't match the home run output the Blue Jays produced at Fenway last month; in the span of two games the Jays hit 13 homers in a series split, including eight in one game. Boston came close enough to sweep this most recent abbreviated series, belting five homers on Wednesday after a half-dozen in Monday's 13-4 win. Five different Sox players contributed one: Kiké Hernandez, Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez, Hunter Renfroe and Michael Chavis all went deep. Of the Sox' nine hits on Wednesday, all but one went for extra bases, giving them a stunning 18 extra-base across two games. The Blue Jays may lead all of major league baseball in homers, but the Sox showed they've got their own power capability. Wednesday's game marked the final game in Buffalo for the Jays. The next road series for the Sox against the Jays will be back in Toronto.
Richards keeps it moving: Garrett Richards made Wednesday's start with 12 days of rest, a stretch that would have made most major league starters feel out of sorts. Richards apparently made good use of his downtime, working with pitching coach Dave Bush in bullpen sessions to improve his changeup, a pitch he only started throwing last month following the MLB crackdown on foreign substances. Richards threw the change about 25% of the time in beating Toronto and he also featured a strong slider. His line -- four runs allowed over 5.2 innings -- did not indicate how well he pitched. He allowed only two hits through five innings and recorded two quick outs in the sixth before issuing a walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., then surrendering back-to-back homers to the next two hitters that accounted for three of the fourth runs against him. As Richards said earlier this season, his re-invention remains a work in progress. This probably marked his best start since that comment.
Santana likely heading back to IL: Danny Santana can't catch a break. The utility man just came off the IL earlier in the week, had a big night with a double and home run on Monday and now appears to be headed back to the IL with a groin pull. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Santana ran to the left-center gap to chase down a base hit by Toronto's Danny Jansen. Santana pulled a groin muscle on the way and hit the ground in obvious discomfort. He left the game and headed for the clubhouse. The Sox could call up either Marcus Wilson or Franchy Cordero from AAA-Worcester to fill in for Santana. Marwin Gonzalez, another utility Sox player on the IL (hamstring) ran at about 60 percent capacity earlier this week, according to Alex Cora, and isn't ready to be activated.
TURNING POINT
The Blue Jays managed a run off Richards in the bottom of the fourth inning, reducing Boston's lead to 3-1. The Red Sox got the right back in the top of the fifth on a solo homer from Michael Chavis, re-establishing a three-run lead. Then, for good measure, the Sox tacked on another run in the top of the sixth, when Christian Vazquez bounced an RBI single through the infield. That response proved especially important in the bottom of the sixth, when the Jays tacked on three additional runs against Richards.
TWO UP:
Michael Chavis: Chavis received his first start in a while and made the most of it, turning a few nice plays at second base while knocked in two runs -- one on a sacrifice fly and another with a solo homer.
J.D. Martinez: After some bad luck in his first two plate appearances -- being robbed of a base hit by third baseman Cavan Biggio and hitting a long fly ball to the warning track -- Martinez smacked a double and later added a solo home run, his 20th of the season.
ONE DOWN
Xander Bogaerts: The ever-consistent shortstop hit a mini-slump, going hitless for the second straight game to go 0-for-9 in the series.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I'm just trying to evolve, man.'' Garrett Richards.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The win marked the 250th as manager of the Red Sox for Alex Cora, making him the 14th manager in franchise history to reach that number.
* Garett Whitlock recorded his 17th scoreless appearance of more than one inning.
* Matt Barnes notched his 20th save of the season.
* For only the third time in the last 38 games, Xander Bogaerts failed to reach base.
UP NEXT: The Red Sox begin a four-game series with the Yankees at Fenway. It will feature RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 3.38 ERA) vs. LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-5, 4.18 ERA) for the Yankees, at 7:10 p.m.