(Getty Images)
Final: Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 0 - James Paxton dominates Jays' lineup, Sox bats explode for 5 runs
The Red Sox snapped their five-game losing streak defeating the Blue Jays 5-0. With the win, Boston is now four wins behind the Jays and also have beaten Toronto five times this season. James Paxton was dominant on the mound, he tossed 7 2/3 innings giving up just three hits, no runs, two walks and seven strikeouts. Jarren Duran, Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida all homer as the Sox bats finally wake up.
WHO: Red Sox (41-42) at Blue Jays (45-38)
WHEN: 7:07 p.m.
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto.
SERIES TO DATE: Red Sox lead series, 4-0.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP James Paxton (3-1, 3.19 ERA) vs. RHP José Berríos (8-5, 3.60 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUP
RED SOX
1. Jarren Duran CF
2. Alex Verdugo RF
3. Masataka Yoshida LF
4. Rafael Devers 3B
5. Justin Turner DH
6. Triston Casas 1B
7. Christian Arroyo 2B
8. David Hamilton SS
9. Connor Wong C
SP James Paxton
BLUE JAYS
1. George Springer RF
2. Bo Bichette SS
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
4. Matt Chapman 3B
5. Alejandro Kirk DH
6. Danny Jansen C
7. Whit Merrifield LF
8. Daulton Varsho CF
9. Santiago Espinal 2B
SP José Berríos
WHAT’S UP
The Red Sox head north of the border and will begin a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. Alex Cora is shaking up his lineup some in the hopes to see his team get out of an offensive slump and snap a five-game losing streak. The Sox will open the game with four lefties while moving Justin Turner down in the lineup, he will bat fifth. Masataka Yoshida will bat third for the seventh time this season and Alex Verdugo will hit in the No. 2 spot for the 11th time.
Boston enters Friday night's series opener two games under .500 (40-42) and have lost seven of their last eight games.
The Sox offense has been almost non-existent over the last seven days, ranking 28th in the league batting .211 with just eight runs scored in five games.
Christian Arroyo (0-for-10), Turner (0-for-9), Connor Wong (0-for-9) and Yoshida (0-for-11) have all gone hitless during that stretch. Kiké Hernández sits the opener, due in part to his career 1-for-16 (.063) career batting average against Berríos.
Wong (1-for-3) and Yoshida (2-for-3) have had some success this season against Berríos. Verdugo is 7-for-17 (.412) in his career with one homer versus the Blue Jays’ righty.
James Paxton makes his ninth start of the season, he only lasted just 4 innings (63 pitches) against the White Sox on Saturday. The team announced he left because of right knee soreness. According to a team source, Paxton is fine and there was no concerns about making his start tonight. The WooSox scratched Brandon Walter from his start for Game 2 of the doubleheader they played on Thursday night.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby in Seattle during the break. The Jays’ slugger mashed a two-run blast Thursday night off Giants rookie Keaton Winn in the sixth inning during their 2-1 win. The two-out homer broke a scoreless tie and lifted the Jays to victory.
PRE-GAME NOTES
The Red Sox will send right-handed minor league hurler Luis Guerrero to the MLB Futures Game during the All-Star break. He will replace WooSox lefty Shane Drohan who was removed as a precaution. Drohan was removed from his last Triple-A start with a calf injury. He was not listed as any of the projected WooSox' starters this week.
SERIES PITCHING MATCHUPS
Saturday: RHP Kutter Crawford (2-4, 4.01 ERA) vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (7-2, 3.75 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Garrett Whitlock (4-3, 5.15 ERA) vs. RHP Kevin Gausman (7-4, 3.01 ERA)