FINAL: Blue Jays 4, Red Sox 3 - Merrifield infield single wins game in 13th after Rafaela blunder; Casas (shoulder) to IL

WHO: Red Sox (74-74) vs. Blue Jays (80-68)
WHEN: 3:07 p.m. 
WHERE: Rogers Center, Toronto. 
SERIES TO DATE: Boston leads, 7-4. 
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Chris Bassitt (14-8, 3.83 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (6-4, 4.88 ERA) 
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUP

RED SOX

Abreu CF
Devers 3B 
Turner 1B
Verdugo RF 
Duvall LF
Yoshida DH 
Story SS
Urías 2B
Wong C
Sale SP

BLUE JAYS

Springer RF
Bichette SS
Guerrero Jr. 1B
Schneider DH
Espinal 2B
Merrifield LF
Chapman 3B
Kirk C
Kiermaier CF
Bassitt SP 

PRE-GAME NOTES 

Triston Casas (shoulder) will miss a second consecutive game after exiting the lineup as a late scratch before yesterday's loss. Justin Turner replaces him again at first base after hitting 2-4 with two doubles on Friday. Masataka Yoshida remains at the DH spot. Casas will receive imaging and if Boston needs to shut him down for the season, the team will recall 1B Bobby Dalbec from Triple-A Worcester. 

LHP Chris Sale makes his first start since Sept. 9, when he allowed six earned runs over 4.0 innings to the Orioles before the Sox skipped his start against the Yankees this week. He enters 1-2 over his six starts since returning from injury with a 5.53 ERA, pitching no more than 5.0 innings in each. 

RHP Corey Kluber will not pitch for the Red Sox after undergoing rehab with Triple-A Worcester this month following his June injury that's sidelined him since. He'll return home to continue recovery ahead of the winter, when he'll become a free agent at 38 after the Sox almost certainly decline his $11-million club option. Kluber posted a 7.04 ERA in 15 appearances after Boston signed him as the team's opening day starter last winter. 

The Red Sox fell into outright last place in the AL East behind the Yankees with their loss on Friday for the first time since July 15. 

WHAT'S UP 

The Red Sox have lost 8 of their last 10 games...They’re 5-13 in their last 18...The Sox are 18-24 in 42 games since the start of August...BOS (74-74) is at .500 for the 1st time since 7/4 (43-43)...They haven’t been below .500 since 6/30 (41-42)...Brayan Bello recorded his 1st career 10-strikeout game last night (6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, BB, 10 SO)...Bello tossed his team-leading 15th quality start of the season...He struck out each of his first 2 batters faced and 5 of his last 6...Red Sox starting pitchers have allowed 3 runs or fewer in each of the last 6 games, posting a 3.21 ERA (10 ER/28.0 IP) with 12.54 SO/9.0 IP (39 SO) in that span...Masataka Yoshida (539 PA) and Triston Casas (502) are the 1st pair of Red Sox rookies to record 500+ PA in the same season since Jim Rice (613) and Fred Lynn (605) in 1975 (source: Elias)... Red Sox rookies have hit 47 HR this season, 2nd most in club history behind 1987 (67 HR)...The only teams with more HR by rookies in 2023 are CIN (56) and OAK (48)..Since making their MLB debuts, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela have combined to hit .362 (34-for-94) with 9 doubles, 3 HR, 16 runs scored, and 13 RBI...Abreu has posted a .365/.431/.519/.950 slash line with 10 RBI in 18 games...Rafaela owns a .357/.486/.595/.981 line with 9 runs scored in 16 games...LHP Chris Sale was charged with the loss last Saturday vs. BAL after allowing 7 runs (6 ER) over 4.0 IP (6 H, 2 BB, 5 SO, 2 HR)...The Sox are 11-6 in his starts (6-3 in last 9)...In 6 starts since returning from the IL on 8/11, owns a 5.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and .226 opponent AVG (27.2 IP, 17 ER, 24 H, 35 SO, 10 BB)...Allowed 21 hits in his last 4 starts (18.2 IP), after giving up 3 hits in his previous 2 (9.0 IP)...Opponents have a .179 AVG (22-for-123, 14 XBH) with 60 SO against his slider...Has allowed only 6 HR over his last 13 starts (5 solo, 1 two-run)...Owns a 2.93 ERA (35 ER/107.2 IP) in 19 career games (16 starts) against the Blue Jays...