All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 5-0 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
There was concern about whether or not James Paxton was going to be able to make his start for the series opener in Toronto. The left-hander was removed from his previous outing last Saturday in Chicago with right knee soreness. But all-week Paxton was adamant that he was ready to go for Friday night and he was right.
Paxton tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings, his longest outing since he threw eight innings for the Yankees in 2019. The southpaw stifled the Blue Jays lineup, dominating them with his four-seam fastball which he threw 64 times, topping out at 98.2 mph while recording 15 swings and misses. Overall the Sox lefty allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out seven.
The Sox offense finally found its groove after being dormant last week. Justin Turner, Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida all homered and Turner added a sac fly later in the game to give Boston a cushion.
Turner's 379-foot homer to left-center field came in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie. His blast was his 12th of the season and snapped an 0-for-10 at the plate.
Turner tater. 💥 pic.twitter.com/L31p20Uxat
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 1, 2023
“His first two at-bats were amazing,” Alex Cora said after the game. “Just fouling off pitches, getting to 3-2, it’s just what he does. Where we’re at offensively right now, we needed that.”
TURNING POINT
Duran and the Sox offense came alive in the sixth inning when he belted a 417-foot, 106.2 mph two-run homer to center. The 26-year-old now has four homers this season and is now a career high.
Wham, bam, Jarren Duran! pic.twitter.com/Tk0A4EciF8
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 1, 2023
Yoshida added to the lead and hit his ninth homer of the season off Jose Berríos. The 444-foot shot went to deep right-center field, it put the Sox up 4-0 and was the third home run of the game Berríos surrendered to Boston's lineup. The Sox' three-run inning was their first since they scored five runs in the seventh inning against the Twins last week (June 20).
Mashed. pic.twitter.com/g2v5djW8qO
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 1, 2023
TWO UP
The story outside of the Sox offense finding their swagger was Paxton on the mound. The native of British Columbia had not pitched in Canada since late 2019. He looked right at home from the Rogers Centre working into the eighth inning before his high pitch count (110 pitches) forced Cora to remove him from the game.
“I believe tonight was his best (start),” said Cora. “You can see by the feedback of the opposition. The check swings, late on the fastballs, his slider/cutter thing was really good. He was under control. He worked hard during the week to be able to make this start and it paid off.”
"Big Maple" eased concerns about his right knee with his start on Friday night and continues to anchor down the Red Sox rotation with Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock.
“He’s very honest about it. Throughout the whole process, the rehab, he was honest with us,” Cora said. “I don’t think he’s going to take a chance with everything that has happened over the last few years. When he says he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go. He did an amazing job. We’re very proud of him.”
Yoshida entered the game hitless in his last 11 tries but clearly the change of scenery in Canada was all he needed to collect three hits. He saw just 12 pitches the whole game, pouncing all over the Jays in each at-bat.
The 29-year-old rookie has gone 12-for-21 in five games against the Jays, he has three home runs and two doubles — driving in nine runs without striking out in the process.
TWO DOWN
Berríos lasted just six innings while throwing 98 pitches. He's now faced the Red Sox two times this season and has allowed a staggering nine earned runs off 16 hits, this includes five homers over 11 1/3 innings.
Christian Arroyo went 0-for-4 in the game and is now really scuffling at the plate. He hasn't recorded a hit in his last 14 at-bats. He was also involved in a fielding blunder in the bottom of the ninth inning with Rafael Devers. Kaleb Ort who was on to work the inning forced George Springer to pop up in the infield. After David Hamilton yielded to Arroyo who was loudly calling off the other infielders, Devers continued to pursue the fly ball and dropped the ball. Both Devers and Arroyo were seen barking at each other after the play with the official scorer in Toronto charging Devers with an error, his ninth of the year.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Blue Jays will continue their three-game series Saturday at Rogers Centre. First pitch on Canada Day is scheduled for 3:07 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN and it can be heard on WEEI 93.7 FM. Kutter Crawford (2-4, 4.01 ERA) will get the start and will be opposed by tough Blue Jays lefty Yusei Kikuchi (7-2, 3.75 ERA).