All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Gausman subdues Red Sox: Kevin Gausman was one of the top starters in the game the last couple of seasons, and watching him pitch Thursday, it wasn't hard to see why. Gausman attacked the Red Sox lineup with strike after strike, and consistently got ahead of them. When they weren't swinging and missing altogether, the Red Sox were flummoxed by his trademark splitter which had them hitting the ball into the ground. Of the 16 outs the Sox put in play, 10 of them were the result of balls hit on the ground. "He mixed his pitches well,'' said Xander Bogaerts. "He's got three quality pitches, and as we saw today, that splitter has some good action.'' Through the first eight innings, the Red Sox had just six hits and had only one baserunner in scoring position.'' Of the 88 pitches that Gausman threw, an incredible 70 were strikes. He didn't walk a single batter. The two runs the Red Sox managed came in the ninth, after Gausman was lifted.
Houck pitches well in defeat: Tanner Houck allowed two runs over five innings, lifted after just 71 pitches. He allowed two runs in the third on a run-scoring single by Bo Bichette and a sacrifice fly from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. In his other four innings of work, Houck allowed just one baserunner, but the two-run third proved costly, especially with the Sox' offense being shut down. Houck will be used out of the bullpen Sunday as a piggy-back option to back up starter Rich Hill. That will be his last appearance until the team returns from the series in Toronto, since Houck is not vaccinated and won't be eligible for those games. "Right now, it's a personal choice,'' said Houck. "I'm not going to comment on it any more. I've tried to stay away (from reading how people have reacted to be unvaccinated). No matter what side of the fence you're on, there's always going to be positive, there's always going to be negative. I've got a job to do and I'm focused on what I have to do.''
Cora sidelined by COVID: Shortly after the start of the game, the Red Sox announced that manager Alex Cora had tested positive for COVID and would not be managing the team in the homestand finale, or, in the three-game series against Tampa Bay which begins Friday. One of Cora's young twin boys tested positive for COVID last week, and out of precaution, Cora had been staying at a local hotel during the homestand. But he still managed to contract the virus, which earlier in the week resulted in three players being placed on the COVID-IL restricted list. Cora was reportedly not feeling well Thursday morning, which prompted him to get tested. Bench coach Will Venable managed the game in place of Cora, and will do so for the three-game set in St. Petersburg. Cora's availability for the four-game series in Toronto, which begins Monday, is not yet known. "This is part of my job -- on a daily basis, prepare as if I'm going to manage and be there for Alex in any way I can,'' said Venable. "It really didn't change my pre-game preparation at all.''
TURNING POINT
With the Red Sox already trailing 2-0, some poor fundamentals led to the Blue Jays' third run, in the sixth inning. Toronto had baserunners at first and second and two out when Matt Chapman hit a pop-up in front of the mound. As Bobby Dalbec and Christian Vazquez converged near the ball, neither could field it, and with the runners on the move, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came around all the way from second base to score what turned out to be the winning run. Ryan Brasier, who should have made sure the plate was covered, didn't do so.
TWO UP
Xander Bogaert: Bogaerts claimed three of the Red Sox' eight hits and knocked in their first run of the game with a double in the ninth inning. He also made a heads-up play, covering third base as the Sox cut down Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the eighth inning.
Bobby Dalbec: They hardly qualified as hard-hit, but Dalbec at least picked up two singles -- both, bloopers that fell into shallow right field.
TWO DOWN
Alex Verdugo: Verdugo has been among the few consistent hitters in the lineup for the first two weeks, but not Thursday. He was 0-for-4, including hitting into two double plays.
Ryan Brasier: In addition to allowing what turned out to be the winning run in two-thirds of an inning, Braiser also failed to cover home as an infield pop-up landed in front of the mound as the run scored.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He's got good shit -- that's as simple as you can put it.'' Tanner Houck on Toronto starter Kevin Gausman, who allowed just one run in eight-plus innings.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Over the last four games, the Red Sox are 5-for-42 with runners in scoring position.
* Xander Bogaerts had his fifth multi-hit game.
* The Red Sox have managed just eight runs over their last four games.
* Trevor Story has hit safely in seven of his nine games.
* Phillips Valdez has yet to allow a run this season over six appearances.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox kick off a three-city, 10-game road trip in St. Petersburg Friday night at 7:10 p.m., with RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.96) going for the Sox and RHP Corey Kluber (0-1, 1.86) pitching for Tampa Bay.