All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Eovaldi comes unglued in fifth: For the first four innings, Nathan Eovaldi looked poised to fill the role of stopper and pitch his team to a big series-opening win. Even better, his teammates had scratched together two runs for him. But in the bottom of the fifth, it was if as a different Eovaldi materialized on the Rogers Centre mound. The first three Toronto hitters smacked doubles, erasing the 2-0 lead. Then things got worse. Much worse. In between an intentional walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Eovaldi managed to get the first two outs of the inning. But then came three straight hits -- a hard single off the wall in right to score the go-ahead run, then a two-run double to Teoscar Hernandez and a two-run homer to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. What had been a 2-0 lead was in a matter of nine hitters, a 7-2 deficit. "I was one pitch away (from getting out of the inning down one),'' said Eovaldi. "I've just got to do a better job managing the inning.'' Even more discouraging is the fact that this is the second poor start in a row this week for Eovaldi, who allowed six runs to Tampa Bay last weekend. Taken together, those are hardly the kind of starts you expect from the guy who's been the ace of the rotation this season.
Offense not much better: The Sox did manage four runs -- not that it mattered. Once again, a familiar pattern emerged, with Sox hitters unable to produce the big hit when it was needed most. A perfect example came in the fifth. The Sox had scored the second run of the night and were a hit or two away from breaking open the game. But with two outs, starter Alek Manoah on the ropes and J.D. Martinez at the plate, Martinez popped out to first, ending the threat. By the time the Sox again loaded the bases, again, with two outs in the seventh, and again to no avail (Hunter Renfroe, who had homered the inning earlier, popped out to short), it was the seventh inning and the Jays had scored 10 runs since the last big chance the Sox had wasted. The Sox stranded a total of nine baserunners and produced just one hit all night with runners in scoring position. Even as their rotation continues to stumble and make it difficult for the Sox to stay in games, the offense has all but disappeared, with 22 runs scored over the last eight games.
SECOND GUESS
Alex Cora has handled the pitching staff well for much of the season and the current downturn from the rotation is hardly his fault. Still, he seemed slow to react to the inning unraveling on Eovaldi, perhaps hoping against hope that his starter could figure things out and get out of the inning. But Eovaldi began the inning by allowing three consecutive doubles and even after after he got two outs, then gave up a hard-hit single. That should have been enough to go to the bullpen, but Eovaldi was left in to give up yet another double and then a two-run homer, effectively putting the game out of reach.
ONE UP
Alex Verdugo: The outfielder had his second straight two-hit game and has five hits over his last three games, including doubles in all three games.
TWO DOWN
Hansel Robles: Four appearances in, Robles hasn't exactly impressed his new team since being obtained at the deadline. He gave up three hits and two runs while recording just one out in the fifth. Oh, and he nearly incited a brawl by plunking Randal Grichuk, then staring down the Toronto dugout.
J.D. Martinez: He did manage a two-out single in the seventh inning, but was 0-for-3 in his first three plate appearances, failing to get the ball out of the infield. He's just 5-for-25 on the road trip.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It just happened so fast.'' Alex Cora on the Jays' nine-run fifth inning.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The loss marked the third time this season that the Blue Jays have scored double-figures in runs in a game against the Sox.
* Jonathan Arauz became the fourth position player to pitch for the Red Sox this season.
* The loss was the sixth in the last seven games on the road for the Red Sox.
* It was the only the ninth time the Red Sox have scored four or more runs in a game this season and lost.
UP NEXT: The Red Sox and Blue Jays have a doubleheader Saturday with RHP Nick Pivetta (8-5, 4.57) vs. LHP Robbie Ray (9-5, 3.04) in Game 1 at 3:07 p.m. and RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 2.45) vs. RHP José Berríos (8-5, 3.31) at 7:07 p.m.