Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Game #23 Boston Red Sox (18-5) @ Toronto Blue Jays (14-9) - game recap

Red Sox RF Mookie Betts hit a pair of HR to help lead Boston to a 4-3 victory over Toronto

After a walk-off victory in the series opener, the Blue Jays were looking to continue to add to the Bosox woes. The Red Sox had lost 3 straight coming into this game. Toronto has a chance to get within 2 game of first place in the AL East if they can win this series. Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:
  • Mookie Betts led off the game with a solo shot to left
  • The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the inning as Justin Smoak singled home Steve Pearce
  • Brock Holt gave Boston the lead in the top of the 5th on a double that scored Jackie Bradley Jr
  • The Jays tied it back up in the bottom half of the inning as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. continues to make a good early impression sliding home safely on a Steve Pearce base hit
  • Yangervis Solarte gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the game with a solo HR leading off the bottom of the 6th
  • Aaron Sanchez pitching line: 6IP 3H 2R (both earned) 2BB 8K 96 pitches (60 for strikes)
  • Betts gave the Red Sox the lead back in the top of the 7th with a 2 run shot that also scored Holt
  • Eduardo Rodriguez pitching line: 6.2IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 3K 106 pitches (66 for strikes)
  • Final score: Red Sox 4 Blue Jays 3
My Take:

  • Key play in the 5th: Brock Holt  doubled to left scoring Jackie Bradley Jr. However Bradley Jr got crossed up running the bases and started to go back to second as he thought the ball might be caught. Meanwhile Christian Vasquez was rounding second. The Blue Jays challenged the play on base runners passing each other. The call was correctly upheld upon replay. Had the play been overturned, Bradley Jr would have been called out and Vasquez would have been granted 3rd base with one out.
  • The difference in this one: Boston's bullpen was perfect and Toronto's was not. Danny Barnes gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and that proved to be the difference in this one.
  • The score could have been worse if not for a key base running error by Andrew Benintendi who left third too early on a fly ball to right. He was forced to retreat back, which prevented an extra run from scoring.
  • Aaron Sanchez battled through 6 innings. He had difficult first and fifth innings. His last inning, he struck out the side. It has to be encouraging that his velocity looked better today than in the previous game. The Blue Jays need a healthy Aaron Sanchez if they are to be successful this season.
  • Up next is the rubber match of this series with Marco Estrada pitching against Boston ace Chris Sale