Final: Blue Jays 13, Red Sox 1 - Toronto sweeps Boston in blowout to take critical series

The Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays in a 13-1 blowout at Fenway Park on Sunday, suffering a sweep at the hands of Toronto and falling five games back of the final Wild Card spot. The Jays scored 11 runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings combined to blow the game open and put it out of reach. Chris Murphy gave up six earned runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings in relief of opener Brennan Bernardino. Triston Casas scratched across Boston's lone run of the game with a home run in the bottom of the fourth.

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WHO: Red Sox (57-53) vs. Blue Jays (62-50)
WHEN: 1:35 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: Blue Jays lead, 2-0. Red Sox lead season series, 7-2.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Brennan Bernardino (1-1, 2.72) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (10-6, 4.00)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX 

1. Jarren Duran CF
2. Masataka Yoshida LF
3. Justin Turner DH
4. Rafael Devers 3B
5. Triston Casas 1B
6. Alex Verdugo RF
7. Luis Urías 2B
8. Reese McGuire C
9. Pablo Reyes SS

SP Brennan Bernardino

BLUE JAYS

1. Whit Merrifield LF
2. Brandon Belt 1B
3. David Schneider 2B
4. George Springer DH
5. Matt Chapman 3B
6. Cavan Biggio RF
7. Alejandro Kirk C
8. Kevin Kiermaier CF
9. Paul DeJong SS 

SP Chris Bassitt

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox are looking to snap a three-game skid as they've fallen 4.0 games behind Toronto for the final Wild Card spot. Boston is 1-6 in their last seven games as they look to salvage something from this crucial AL East series. 

Alex Verdugo will return to action after sitting (manager's decision) on Saturday. Verdugo reportedly arrived to Fenway roughly two hours before first pitch. Reese McGuire gets the start behind the dish after his base-running blunder killed the rally and led to the final out in Saturday's 5-4 loss.

Bernardino gave up three hits and one run (earned) with a walk and a strikeout in 0.1 innings against the Jays on Saturday. He's coming off 10 games in July that saw him carry a 3.00 ERA, allowing eight hits and four runs (earned) with two walks and 18 strikeouts in 12.0 innings of work. He held opponents to a .186 average with a 0.83 WHIP in July. In three appearances against Toronto earlier this season, Bernardino has allowed one hit, one run (earned) and one walk with two strikeouts across 3.0 total innings. 

Bassitt is 3-1 with a 3.23 ERA in his last seven starts. He took the loss in 6.0 innings against the Orioles on July 31, giving up seven hits and four runs (earned) with a home run, two walks and seven Ks. He has not faced the Red Sox this season and has gone against them just once before, striking out 10 and giving up three hits (one home run) and two runs (earned) across 7.0 innings in a 3-2 win with Oakland on May 11, 2021.

The Sox recalled RHP Nick Robertson from Worcester. To make room, they optioned LHP Joe Jacques. Robertson, acquired from the Dodgers in the Kiké Hernández deal, has a 2.87 ERA with a 3-1 record in 31 Triple-A appearances this season. He has 46 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP in 31.1 IP.  Since arriving in Worcester, the 25-year-old has given up six hits (two homers), four runs (two earned) and one walk with four strikeouts across 3.0 innings. He's 0-for-2 in save opportunities with the WooSox after going 7-for-7 before the trade. In just 10.1 innings across nine games in the Majors (all this season), Robertson is 0-1 with a 6.10 ERA, 13 Ks and a 2.03 WHIP.