Game #145 Toronto Blue Jays (65-80) @ Boston Red Sox (100-46) - game recap

David Price threw 7 strong innings as the Red Sox shut out and edged the Blue Jays 1-0

The Blue Jays had one task tonight and that was to beat Boston and prevent them from winning their 100th game. Aaron Sanchez was on the mound tonight, looking to continue gaining confidence to leave 2018 feeling good about himself. Russell Martin was placed on paternity leave as his wife is scheduled to give birth to their first child. The offence was in tough vs. David Price, who has been a thorn in the side of Toronto batters his entire career, except for the couple of months he was a Blue Jay. Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights

• The Red Sox opened the scoring in the bottom of the 6th as Rafael Devers scored on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez
• David Price pitching line: 7IP 3H 0R 0BB 7K 92 pitches (63 for strikes)
• Aaron Sanchez pitching line: 7IP 3H 1R (earned) 3BB 6K 91 pitches (57 for strikes)
• Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th for his 39th save of the season
• Final score: Red Sox 1 Blue Jays 0

My Take

• This one was a pitcher's duel as the two teams combined for 7 total hits and one run through the first 7 innings. Aaron Sanchez was excellent tonight, allowing just one run (on a wild pitch), 3 hits and he walked three batters. Sanchez had perfect innings in the 3rd, 4th (yes Xander Bogaerts singled but he was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double so he faced the minimum three batters that inning), 6th and 7th innings. 
• Both starters were removed after seven innings having thrown 92 and 91 pitches each. Price's second to last pitch registered 94.4MPH on the radar gun. He was not laboring a bit when he finished the inning. In both cases, pulling the starting pitcher was a costly move. The Blue Jays nearly tied the game in the top of the 8th as Rowdy Tellez led off with a double, Danny Jansen walked on four pitches and at one point, there were runners on first and third with 2 outs. Only a nice catch by Mookie Betts prevented this one from being a completely different outcome. Tyler Clippard loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but managed to escape the jam without allowing a run. I think it's silly that there are such strict pitching limits in today's game. In both cases, I would have let David Price and Aaron Sanchez start the inning. Go ahead and have a reliever warming up, but when both pitchers are dealing let them keep going.
• Jonathan Davis got the start in center field today. He was one of only two blue Jays to get a hit off David Price today. He fielded three balls today.
• Danny Jansen had a rough night behind the plate. Three Red Sox stole bases off him and he allowed two wild pitches, the second one led to the game's only run. At the plate, Jansen was 0-2 but he drew a four pitch walk.
• Rowdy Tellez had another extra base hit in a 1-3 effort tonight. He was fine defensively.
• Richard Urena pinch ran for Justin Smoak. He didn't get to do anything as Dwight Smith Jr. struck out to end the game
• As mentioned above, Dwight Smith Jr. pinch hit for Teoscar Hernandez and became the game's final out.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to avoid the series sweep as Blue Jays righty Sam Gaviglio takes on Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez