All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
One inning dooms Pivetta: Starter Nick Pivetta lasted four innings, but all the damage done against him came in the second when the Jays sent 10 men to the plate and scored five times. It didn't help that Pivetta walked two in that inning and threw a wild pitch. He had two strikes on a number of Jays hitters that inning, but couldn't manage to put any of them away. A two-run homer by Raimel Tapia on a hanging curveball started the trouble, followed by back-to-back walks and then two singles sandwiched around a sacrifice fly. Pivetta is now 0-3 and has given up four or more runs in every one of his starts to date. Pivetta was pleased that he was able to make a necessary mechanical adjustment in the third and fourth inning, but by then the damage had been done. "Super disappointing,'' he said in reference to the second, "but really happy with how I bounced back the next two innings. I got my hands breaking in a different motion, my arm circulating better. My velo picked up after that, so that was positive.''
Danish completes comeback: The game was already out of hand, but the Sox got two impressive innings from reliever Tyler Danish, who was added to the 40-man roster in the final days of spring training, then was called up when the Sox got hit by COVID earlier this week. Danish's appearance Wednesday night was his first in the major leagues since Aug. 12, 2018. He's spent the last four years bouncing between the minors and independent ball, and his return Wednesday night was a satisfying one. He pitched two innings, allowed one walk and struck out five. "It was a special night,'' said Danish. "I took a second once I got back out there and kind of looked around. All the hard work and stuff, I could just visualize everything I've been through and to be standing on the mound at Fenway, four years ago I would have never imagined that would be possible. I wish it could have come in a 'W' but a special night for sure.'' Danish's low three-quarters delivery and a biting slider made him effective.
Story survives scare: In a scary moment in the bottom of the third inning, second baseman Trevor Story was drilled in the helmet by a pitch from Jose Berrios. The pitch struck his ear flap, and sent Story sprawling. He quickly recovered and passed some on-field concussion tests, remaining in the game and taking his base at first. Story completed the game and said he was OK afterward. "It's always scary when you take one off the helmet like that, or around the face,'' said Story. "Thank God it wasn't anything worse. I got lucky. (It's happened) a couple of times (before), but that was a good shot, for sure. (Jose) Berrios has a really good curveball and it's one of those that you have to stay in there on, and it comes off that plane right there. It's just kind of the nature of the beast. Obviously, I know he didn't mean to do that. Just part of the game.''
TURNING POINT
Once more, the issue was a failure to produce a big hit when it was needed. The most egregious moment came in the second when the Sox had runners at first and third, with one out and the top of the order due. But nothing came of it as Kike Hernandez fouled to first and Rafael Devers flied to left. It was more of the same over the next two innings, as leadoff doubles were twice wasted.
TWO UP
Phillips Valdez: Valdez continued the impressive start to his season with two scoreless innings in relief of Pivetta, at least keeping the Blue Jays from expanding the lead further.
Xander Bogaerts: After a slow start to his night (two strikeouts), Bogaerts rebounded with a double in the fifth and a single in the seventh, giving him four multi-hit games this season, including three in the last four games.
TWO DOWN
Kike Hernandez: Hernandez struck a pitch well in the first, sending it to the triangle, where it was caught. After that? He was hitless in four more at-bats with three infield popups and a strikeout.
Matt Barnes: Barnes continues to try to work his way back into being a high-leverage bullpen option, but it's been a slog. He allowed a base hit and a ruin in his one inning of mop-up work.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I think we're expanding. It seems like if we're ahead (in the count), we swing. That's not good. We're better than that.'' - Alex Cora on his team's struggles with runners in scoring position.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Over his last six starts, Jackie Bradley Jr. has eight hits with four doubles and four RBI.
* Rafael Devers has hit safely in 11 of the first 12 games.
* The Red Sox stranded a season-high 11 baserunners.
* Xander Bogaerts has four RBI over his last five games.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Blue Jays wrap up their first series meeting of the year with a matinee Thursday. It will be RHP Tanner Houck (1-0, 3.00) vs. Kevin Gausman (0-1, 4.22) at 1:35 p.m.