Red Sox sink to 0-31 when trailing by multiple runs in 3-0 loss to Blue Jays

When the Red Sox fall down by two runs or more in a game this season, it’s like a death sentence. The offense is so inept that it can’t dig itself out of a small hole, and subsequently, they’re 0-31 this season. 

Boston’s offense has struggled to generate timely hits or mount sustained rallies, and that trend continued Wednesday night as the Red Sox dropped a 3-0 decision to the division-rival Blue Jays. 

The loss pushed Boston to 29-42 on the season and a season-worst 13 games under .500.

The inability to capitalize with runners on base once again proved costly. The Red Sox finished just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 13 baserunners, wasting numerous opportunities to get back into the game.

The Red Sox were originally scheduled to face future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, but the veteran right-hander was scratched just hours before first pitch and placed on the 15-day injured list with back spasms.

Toronto quickly adjusted, turning to opener Braydon Fisher, who navigated around two first-inning walks to toss 1 1/3 scoreless innings. From there, bulk reliever Simeon Woods Richardson took over and continued to frustrate Boston’s lineup.

The Red Sox had opportunities but repeatedly failed to cash in. Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked and stole second in the second inning but was left stranded. 

Wilyer Abreu doubled with two outs in the third and never advanced, and Boston left two more runners on base during a brief fourth-inning threat.

Boston’s fourth-inning rally was short-circuited in unusual fashion when Jarren Duran was struck by a hard-hit ground ball off the bat of Masataka Yoshida while advancing from first to second. By rule, Duran was called out for interference, and Yoshida was credited with a single.

Kiner-Falefa followed with a walk to keep the inning alive, but Woods Richardson retired the next two hitters to escape the jam.

The Red Sox squandered an even better opportunity in the fifth. Ceddanne Rafaela singled with one out to chase Woods Richardson from the game, prompting Toronto to bring in left-hander Mason Fluharty. 

Abreu greeted him with a single before Fluharty struck out Willson Contreras and walked Duran to load the bases.

With a chance to break the scoreless tie, Boston sent Nate Eaton to the plate as a pinch hitter for the left-handed-hitting Yoshida. 

Blue Jays manager John Schneider immediately countered by calling on right-hander Spencer Miles, and the move paid off. Miles induced a routine groundout to first from Eaton, stranding the bases loaded and leaving the Red Sox empty-handed once again.

Boston’s offense offered little support for rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, who turned in one of the strongest outings of his young major league career despite taking the loss.

The rookie retired the first six batters he faced before Toronto finally broke through in the third inning.

Davis Schneider opened the frame with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by Andrés Giménez. 

Giménez and George Springer, who reached after being hit by a pitch, then wreaked havoc on the bases, combining to steal four bases over the next two plate appearances.

A double steal during Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s at-bat moved both runners into scoring position, and Guerrero’s groundout to third brought Giménez home to make it 2-0. Springer advanced to third on another stolen base but was left there when Bennett induced Kazuma Okamoto to ground out and end the inning.

After the rocky third, Bennett settled back in beautifully, retiring nine consecutive hitters before allowing a one-out single to Guerrero in the sixth.

Bennett worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on just three hits while walking none and striking out five. He threw 79 pitches, 55 for strikes, and generated 15 swinging strikes, six with his four-seam fastball, five with his changeup, two with his sweeper, one with his sinker and one with his curveball, per Baseball Savant. 

The Blue Jays added an insurance run in the eighth when Guerrero lofted an RBI bloop single off Greg Weissert to extend the lead to 3-0.

Boston’s offense never answered. Andruw Monasterio reached with a single in the eighth and advanced to second on a groundout, but like so many Red Sox baserunners on the night, he was left stranded.

With the loss, Boston fell to 12-24 at Fenway Park, 4-9 in June, 6-16 against American League East opponents and 21-33 against right-handed starters.

The Red Sox and Blue Jays wrap up their three-game series Thursday afternoon. Veteran right-hander Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.03 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston against Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage (3-3, 3.78 ERA). First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.