BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 5 - Verdugo's walk-off HR wins it again

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the xxxx, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Well, well, well ... what's going on here?: The ashes are still smoldering from the Bruins' collapse and early playoff exit, the Garden seems to be a house of horrors with the Celtics dropping Game 1 at home on Monday night to Joel Embid-less Philadelphia team — and we're all still trying to figure out what Bill Belichick is doing down 95 — but it just so happens that Olde Towne Team has started to make a little noise.

Not only did the Sox win their third-straight game, in walk-off fashion for the second time by the same guy (Alex Verdugo) during that stretch, but they are now 8-3 in their last 11 games, a season-high two games over .500 (16-14) and, get this, they are no longer in the AL East basement. Guess who is?

Movin' on up...

The hero was once again Alex Verdugo, who had a double earlier in the game. It was his MLB-leading third walk-off RBI this season and eighth in his career. It was also his fifth walk-off RBI since the start of 2021, tied for most in the AL during that span (Aaron Judge-6).

“I live for it, bro,” Verdugo told reporters after the game. “I live for that moment. Some people think about the negative results of it. Some people think, ‘If I don’t do this, it’s all on me.’ I’m blessed with that opportunity to do it. You don’t go up there thinking about failure. You go up there and think, ‘I have a chance to help out the team to win a ballgame.’ And I thrive for that moment. We know you’re not always going to do it. But what I can control is seeing pitches, having a good at-bat, putting a good swing on the ball. And that’s all I’m trying to do in those moments. And the game dedicates what you need to do.”

Alex Cora didn't even see the swing, but he heard it. 

“He’s a very important piece of what we’re trying to accomplish this year,” Cora said. “We can talk about challenging him and all that but in the end, it’s what you do.”

Hernandez giveth, taketh away: Kiké Hernández made a sensational play to rob Danny Jansen of a hit leading off the eighth inning, with the Sox leading 5-3, and then the wheels came off for the utility player. 

With a runner on second, he threw wide of Triston Casas on a routine play, allowing one run to score. And then he tried to make a 6-3 inning-ending double on another routine play but he rushed the throw and threw it into the Red Sox' dugout to tie the score.

"The last one he rushed, the first one ... I'll talk to him ... he tried to make a play that wasn't there," said Cora.

New season, new results vs. Toronto?: The streak is over.

The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays for the first time in 10 games overall — and they had lost 8-straight at Fenway Park to their northern neighbors. The Jays beat them by a combined 70 runs last year.

“It feels good to win this one. Last year they had our number,” Verdugo said. “It’s one of those things, man, we want to play competitive games against these guys. ... Last year there were a lot of blowouts, a lot of uncompetitive games.”

TURNING POINT

With the Red Sox trailing 3-2 thanks to Bo Bichette's three-run bomb in the second, Jarren Duran and Enmanuel Valdez each homered in the sixth to stake Boston to a 5-3 lead. It was Valdez's first career home run — and he was excited. 

"It was a good day for the kids," Cora said. "They're in a good spot. Jarren's understanding what he can do. ... Enmanuel, he can hit. It's fun to watch. This guy hits bombs. He looks for good pitches and he puts good swings on them. Love it, that's the way he is. That's the way the game's been played. It was fun watching him run the bases."

TWO UP

Jarren Duran: Went 2 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to six games (.480, 7 extra-base hits).

Corey Kluber: Issused another four walks — two in the second to set up Bichette's bomb — but outside of that, his stuff was good after that with 11 of the next 15 retired, and he struck out seven. He went 5.0+ innings for the third consecutive start, after only doing so 1 time in his first 3 starts this season. Threw a season high 104 pitches, his most in a start since 2019.

ONE DOWN

Triston Casas: Was a very weak 0 for 3 (if that's possible) with two strike out and three runners left on base with two outs. He's now batting .128 and this is reaching a crisis point. He also could have done better knocking down Hernandez's first error. He was he only starter without a hit.

QUOTE OF NOTE

"The Boston Red Sox have always been my team since I was a small kid. So being able to do that — my first big league home run — in a game with them and to also give the lead to the team, there were a lot of emotions going through my mind. I’m just grateful to have this opportunity.” - Valdez.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Boston has scored 21 runs over the past 3 games after combining for 4 runs in the previous 2 games.
• The Red Sox have come from behind in 11 of their 16 wins, most in MLB...21 of the Sox’ 30 games have been decided by 3 runs or fewer (11-10).
• Recorded 11+ hits off a starting pitcher for the 1st time since 5/17/22 vs. HOU (José Urquidy, 12 hits allowed).
• Masataka Yoshida (2 for 4, RBI, R) extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI double in the 1st inning to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.
• Toronto's Bo Bichette (5-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI, SB) recorded his 3rd career 5-hit game, 2nd this season (also 4/14 at TB)...Leads MLB with 43 hits.

UP NEXT

Game 2 of the 4-game set (NESN/TBS) will feature RHP Tanner Houck (3-1, 4.50) vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-0, 3.00) at 7:10 p.m.