All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox outclassed by Jays again: The only thing worse than Friday's 9-0 shutout loss was a 10-0 blanking the next day. The Blue Jays have now won every head-to-head meeting with the Red Sox in the second half of the season, running the table 8-0. For the season, the Jays have outscored the Red Sox by 67 runs and the Red Sox have compiled a woeful 6.31 ERA against the Jays. Since the All-Star break, the Jays have outscored the Sox 77-20 and the Sox are just 3-15 in the 18 games played between the clubs. With a loss Sunday, the Red Sox could set a record for most losses to a single opponent since 1969. The Sox lost 15 games to Detroit in 1973.
Bello humbled: Rookie Brayan Bello entered the start with a 1.65 ERA since the start of September, having improved with every outing. But Saturday represented a step back for him, as he allowed four runs on 10 hits in just four innings of work. Granted, some of the hits against him were not hit very hard with some bloopers falling in, so much so that Bello wore a smile of resignation on his face after one of them, as if cursing his luck. But there were some hard-hit balls against him, too -- including three that registered over 100 mph. There was still a lot to like, including a first inning that saw him allow to singles to start the frame before retiring the next three. And there was the fourth inning, too, when he induced Matt Chapman to hit into a bases-loaded, inning-ending jam. But there was damage, too, and a reminder that, for young pitchers, the development at the big league level is not always linear.
Bogaerts sinks in batting race: It wasn't long ago that Xander Bogaerts looked to be in position to capture his first American League batting title following a hot stretch in mid-September that lasted a good 10 days or so. But in the interim, Bogaerts has cooled off considerably. He was 0-for-4 and didn't come close to a hit, dropping his batting average for the season down to .305, as Bogaerts is now without a hit in his last 10 at-bats. Meanwhile, his chief competitors for the lead are pulling away. Aaron Judge is at .313 and Minnesota's Luis Arraez entered Satruday's action at .315. Bogaerts will be given Sunday off in Toronto before playing in all three games in the final series of the season at Fenway against Tampa Bay.
TURNING POINT
Already down 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Jays greeted reliever Zack Kelly with solo homers from two of the first three hitters to face him -- Teoscar Hernandez and Danny Jansen -- to stretch the lead to 6-0 very quickly. Given how the Red Sox were swinging the bats against Toronto starter Ross Stripling, it likely wouldn't have mattered either way, but those extra runs effective put the game completely out of reach for the Red Sox.
TWO UP
Kiké Hernandez: Hernandez was 0-for-3 at the plate, but inserted at shortstop to give Bogaerts a breather, he made a number of fine plays, including a diving backhand stop in the second to prevent a run.
Rafael Devers: Devers entered the game without a hit in his previous seven at-bats, but went 2-for-4 with two singles.
TWO DOWN
Tommy Pham: Back in the leadoff spot after a night off Friday, Pham failed to get on base in four plate appearances, with three groundouts and a flyout.
Josh Winckowski: Once again, lots of hard contact against Winckowski, who allowed six hits and three runs in his three innings of work.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Next year, we have to show up against the division because I've never seen anything like this. Last year, we dominated two teams in the division in October when it mattered. But this year, we've been absolutely crushed in the division.'' - Alex Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Rob Refsnyder saw his modest three-game hitting streak come to an end.
* Zack Kelly allowed three runs in the fifth after having allowed three earned runs, total, in his first 12 appearances.
* The Red Sox did not have an extra-base hit among their five hits (all singles).
* The loss dropped the Red Sox to 23-49 within the division. They have a 5.34 staff ERA in those games against AL East opponents.
UP NEXT: The final game of the series (and for the Red Sox, mercifully) of the season with the Blue Jays takes place at 1:07 p.m. Sunday. The Sox will pitch RHP Michael Wacha (11-1, 3.06) vs. RHP Kevin Gausman (12-10, 3.30)