FINAL: Blue Jays 5, Red Sox 4 - Reese McGuire doubled up on fly ball to end game

WHO: Blue Jays (61-50) at Red Sox (57-52)
WHEN: 4:10 p.m. 
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston.
SERIES TO DATE: Boston leads, 7-1. 
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Jose Berríos (8-7, 3.31 ERA) vs. RHP John Schreiber (1-1, 3.74 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUP 

RED SOX

Duran CF
Yoshida LF
Turner DH
Devers 3B
Duvall RF
Casas 1B
Urías 2B
Wong C
Chang SS
Schreiber SP

BLUE JAYS

Merrifield LF
Belt DH
Guerrero Jr. 1B
Springer RF
Jansen C
Chapman 3B
Varsho CF
Schneider 2B
DeJong SS
Berríos SP

PRE-GAME NOTES

IF Luis Urías will make his second start at 2B after debuting 1-3 with a walk and run on Friday. The Sox recalled him from Triple-A Worcester following this week's trade from Milwaukee. Boston DFA'd IF Christian Arroyo to make room on the major league roster, with another roster decision looming when the Sox recall IF Trevor Story. That's possible on Monday or Tuesday after he completes two more rehab games this weekend. 

The Sox originally included OF Alex Verdugo in today's lineup, before scratching him after Alex Cora spoke to the media. Cora offered no reason for the removal to the Boston Globe when asked on the field. RHP Garrett Whitlock continued his recovery by throwing batting practice on the field pre-game. Verdugo appeared in the team's last eight games, hitting .214, after a brief benching after the beginning of his long-running slump. 

Story and Chris Sale are on rehab assignments with Worcester. Sale made his 1st rehab start Tuesday against Syracuse, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings (H, 2 BB, 3 SO, 40 pitches). Story has played in 11 games with Worcester and Double-A Portland, making 8 starts at SS and 3 as the DH (.273 AVG, 9-for-33, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 R, 7 RBI, 5 BB, HBP, SB).

Tanner Houck is scheduled to begin a rehab stint with Worcester today vs. Syracuse at 4:05 p.m. Sale will pitch tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. in his likely final rehab start. 

RHP John Schreiber will open after doing the same in the team's win over the Braves last month, his first appearance in his return from injury. In his four game, he posted a 9.64 ERA in 4.2 IP and allowed four runs in 1.0 IP during Wednesday's loss at Seattle. LHP Chris Murphy (1-0, 1.59 ERA) will handle the bulk of the innings today. 

WHAT'S UP 

The Red Sox have lost 5 of their last 6 games...They’re 6-5 in their last 11 and 8-8 in their last 16...At 57-52 (.523), Boston is tied with MIA for MLB’s 13th-best record...Last night, the Red Sox began a season-long 10-game home stand (3 vs. TOR, 4 vs. KC, 3 vs. DET)...Boston is 16-12 vs. the AL East this season...They are 5-3 in series play vs. the AL East, winning 4 of their last 5 series within the division since 5/1...With a loss today or tomorrow, the Red Sox would lose their 3rd consecutive series and fall to to 19-15-2 in series play...The Red Sox are 4-5 so far in a stretch of 11 straight games against teams who currently have a winning record (2-0 vs. ATL, 1-2 at SF, 1-2 at SEA, 0-1 vs. TOR)...The Sox are an AL-best 46-7 (.868) when scoring 5+ runs, the 3rd-best record in MLB...They’ve scored fewer than 5 runs in 5 of their last 6 games...In their last 27 games since 6/30, the Red Sox lead the AL in AVG (.276) and SLG (.474), and rank 2nd in OPS (.806)...Triston Casas was named the AL Rookie of the Month for July, batting .348 with a 1.199 OPS during the month (23-for-66, 4 2B, 7 HR, 13 RBI, 11 BB)...The Red Sox entered last night 7-0 vs. TOR...They’ve outscored TOR, 52-36......Boston lost its eighth straight game returning from a road trip on Friday....

The Blue Jays blasted a season-high-tying five home runs en route to a 7-3 win...Toronto has won seven of its last 12 games, 16 of its last 26, and is 35-25 over its last 60 contests...Its .583 win% over that span (since May 26) is tied with Baltimore for the highest mark in the AL...Is currently holding the 3rd Wild Card spot, 2.0 games back of Houston (63-48) for the 2nd spot, 2.5 games up on Seattle and 3.0 games up on Boston...The Blue Jays have now gone 9-23 against divisional opponents this season (5th among AL East clubs), the 3rd fewest intra-division wins in MLB (OAK - 5, COL - 7)...The .281 divisional win% is currently the lowest in team history (.282 in 1979)...Toronto pitchers have combined for a 3.82 ERA this season, 3rd among AL teams (5th in MLB)...Are 2nd in MLB with 1,056 strikeouts (MIN - 1,063)...Rank 8th in the AL in opponents' average (.243) and T-7th in WHIP (1.27)...The rotation has 52 quality starts, T-3rd most in the AL (T-4th in MLB)...Berrîos is making his 23rd start of the season and his 13th on the road...Tossed 6.0 frames of one-run ball his last time out, on 7/30 vs. LAA, scattering 6 hits and a pair of walks with 6 strikeouts...Posted a 1.84 ERA over 5 starts in the month of July, his lowest ERA of any month in his career, min. 2 starts (2nd: 2.06 ERA in June 2019)...Over his last 20 starts, has gone 8-5 with a 2.69 ERA (36 ER/120.2 IP), 111 strikeouts, and a 1.14 WHIP...His ERA over that span (since 4/14) trails only Nathan Eovaldi (2.17) for the best mark among AL pitchers...