The Toronto Blue Jays made a trip to the historic ballpark that is Fenway Park to take on the Boston Red Sox in another three game series. The Jays coming into tonight had been on a six game losing streak, getting swept by the Red Sox at home and away when they recently visited the Cleveland Guardians.
The Blue Jays sent Chris Bassitt (6-6, 3.52) to the bump to face Tanner Houck (7-5, 2.14) for the Red Sox. Bassitt threw 7 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and punching out two. Houck threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) over five hits, walking one and striking out seven. Both pitchers left with no decisions.
Going to the game, the Blue Jays got the scoring started in the top of the 4th. Justin Turner got on the board with an RBI single to drive in Isiah Kiner-Falefa and give the Jays a 1-0 lead.
The Red Sox answered right back in the bottom half of the inning when Rafael Devers hit a two run shot to give his squad a 2-1 lead.
The game stayed 2-1 until the Blue Jays’ offence came alive, scoring five runs to take a 6-2 lead. Kevin Kiermaier tied the game at two with an RBI single. Spencer Horwitz gave the Jays the lead with an RBI single of his own. Then, in the next at bat, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped up and sent a ball out of Fenway Park. His three run blast extended the Toronto lead to 6-2 and wowed everyone who saw his homer. Vladdy’s homer travelled 471 feet and came off the bat at an exit velocity of 113 mph, this was also the furthest home run he’s hit in his career.
It looked like the lead would stay in the hands of the Blue Jays until the bottom of the 8th, when the Red Sox rallied. David Hamilton’s two run homer cut the Boston deficit to 6-4, then the Red Sox tied the game at six with a two RBI single from Romy Gonzalez.
The Jays looked to take the lead in the top of the 9th, but the Red Sox sent them to the bottom of the 9th with the game still tied 6-6. The 9th inning rally started when Ceddane Rafaela reached on an error by Spencer Horwitz. That proved to be costly, because the next hitter, Jarren Duran, would drive in Rafaela with a walk off RBI single off of Zach Pop to give Boston a 7-6 win.
The Blue Jays will look to snap their seven game losing streak in game two of their series against the Red Sox tomorrow night. Toronto will send Kevin Gausman (5-5, 4.24) to the mound as he’ll face off against Brayan Bello (7-4, 4.83) for Boston.
