Red Sox clobber 5 homers in 1st 3 innings, Garrett Crochet pitches 7 innings in 10-2 victory over Blue Jays

The Red Sox came out swinging north of the border in their series opener with the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday night.

Jarren Duran led off the game and hammered an 0-2 fastball from Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis over the right field wall, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead. Duran’s homer was the sixth career leadoff homer of his career.

The Sox' speedy leadoff hitter has now produced seven extra-base hits in his last eight games.

Two batters later, Alex Bregman crushed an 0-2 slider inside the left field foul pole for another Red Sox solo homer.

Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell continued to put pressure on Bowden, hitting an opposite-field homer to right, his fourth big fly of the year, to open the second inning.

The home run onslaught continued with Rafael Devers hitting his third homer in the last four games and Wilyer Abreu annihilating a hanging curveball to deep dead center for a three-run home run that put the Sox up 7-0.

“I feel good, I feel like we’re playing very good baseball,” Devers told reporters via translator. “Defensively, the pitchers are doing their job, the bullpen, base-running, hitting, I think everything is clicking right now.”

The Sox hit five home runs over the first three innings for the first time since Sept. 8, 2009.

Boston entered the game hitting just 2-for-24 against Francis. The righty had allowed one extra-base hit, two walks, and nine strikeouts versus the Red Sox.

With three straight wins on their six-game road trip, the Sox are now 17-14.

RED SOX IMPROVE TO 5-2 IN GARRETT CROCHET STARTS

Garrett Crochet pitched seven innings, allowing two runs off four hits while walking three and striking out six, earning his third win of the season in the Sox’ 10-2 win.

The only real blemish outside the three free passes came when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashed a belt-high fastball over the fence for a two-run homer in the third.

Crochet threw just 91 pitches, and in the win on Tuesday night, he’s pitched at least seven frames three times this season.

“Just felt like I was competitive all the way through,” Crochet told reporters postgame. “I know I still had the three walks, but they’re not like my walks in the starts past, they were competitive all the way through.”

By the end of his outing on Tuesday night, Crochet had lowered his ERA to 2.05, and reached 50 strikeouts, which is good for the second-most in the American League.

Luis Guerrero and Brennan Bernardino worked a scoreless eighth and ninth inning, respectively, in relief of Crochet. 

OFFENSE CLICKING

Bregman extended his hitting streak to nine games with his 3-for-5 performance. He is tied with Campbell, collecting 11 multi-hit games, which is ranked sixth in the American League. 

“Earlier in the year we kind of were pressing a little bit, weren’t coming through, but we’ve kind of taken a deep breath and started playing better baseball,” Bregman told NESN’s Jahmai Webster.

Abreu was 3-for-4 with his sixth homer and also scored two runs.

Campbell also extended his hitting streak to four games, was 2-for-4, and has reached base in 26 of 28 games. He is tied for second in Red Sox history to reach base in as many games to begin their career, behind only George Scott (reached base safely in 26 of his first 27 career games in 1966, according to the Red Sox).

Everyone in the Red Sox lineup recorded a hit with the exception of Ceddanne Rafaela, who went hitless. Boston left seven runners on base and was 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

AMAZING CATCH

Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho made an amazing catch, robbing Duran of extra bases.

In the fourth inning, Duran smoked a ball 396 feet to deep center as Varsho tripped by the warning track and rolled over, and while he was getting up, he saw the ball and stuck out his glove to make the play.

“That was incredible, that was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen in my life,” Bregman said about Verso's impressive snap in the outfield. “I wish he wouldn’t have, because it would’ve been a nice triple for Jarren, but you got to tip your hat to him there. That was an unbelievable play.”

WELCOME BACK

The Red Sox will continue their series in Toronto and will have Lucas Giolito make his team debut coming off the injured list on Wednesday.

Giolito has been in the minors on a rehab assignment where he posted a 5.19 ERA in five outings.

“Not well numbers-wise, obviously,” Giolito said to reporters on Tuesday at the Rogers Centre. “That wasn’t really my goal. I’ve been working on a number of mechanical things. Like my last start, for instance, the first three innings I was very focused on mechanical changes, and then the last couple innings, I was like, ‘All right. Let me put those away and just pitch to compete’ — and it was different results after.”

Giolito allowed 10 runs (all earned), 18 hits, and 13 walks while striking out 17 over 17 1/3 frames.

“Every single game matters," Giolito said. “Every single pitch matters. We’re playing here to win vs. in the minor leagues, you want to win, obviously, but it’s about development. I’m used to that style of baseball where it’s like everything matters. Doesn’t matter how you get the guy out — get the guy out, get out of the situation. It’s about trying to put up as many zeros as you can. Yeah, I’m looking forward to feeling that competition again, for sure."