Game #112 Boston Red Sox (80-34) @ Toronto Blue Jays (51-61) - game recap

Red Sox DH JD Martinez hit the go-ahead 3-run HR in the 10th inning as the Red Sox knocked off the Blue Jays 10-7 in a game where both teams had trouble with late leads

The Blue Jays had to be feeling pretty good about themselves after winning three of four to end the road trip. They received bad news ahead of tonight's game as trade acquisition Brandon Drury has a fracture in his hand, that occurred a couple of games before he was traded. He'll likely be out a few weeks if Aaron Judge or Robinson Cano are barometers. So the Blue Jays are back where they started plugging in players to play SS/3B until one or both or Tulo and Donaldson return to action. In the meantime, you can watch the Stroshow work his magic or explode at his teammates. Maybe Ken Giles will beat himself up (figuratively or literally). Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights

• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 3rd as Devon Travis launched a 2-run bomb into the second deck in left-center also scoring Randal Grichuk
• The Red Sox got one back in the top of the 4th as JD Martinez singled home Andrew Benintendi
• Drew Pomeranz pitching line: 4.2IP 4H 2R (both earned) 5BB 1K 84 pitches (44 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays extended the lead in the bottom of the 7th as Travis sure on a sac fly by Teoscar Hernandez
• Marcus Stroman pitching line: 7IP 2H 1R (unearned) 3BB 4K 92 pitches (53 for strikes)
• The Red Sox got one back in the top of the 8th as Sandy Leon scored on a fielder's choice hit by Mitch Moreland
• A batter later, the Red Sox took the lead on a three run blast into the upper deck by JD Martinez that scored Mookie Betts and Moreland
• The Blue Jays tied it on a solo shot to right by Justin Smoak in the bottom of the 9th
• The Red Sox took the lead in the top of the 10th as Moreland launched a three run HR to right-center also scoring Benintendi and Betts
• Three batters later, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two run shot to right-center that also scored Xander Bogaerts
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning as Kevin Pillar hit a no-doubter to left that also scored Yangervis Solarte
• Final score: Red Sox 10 Blue Jays 7

My Take

• Marcus Stroman deserve far better this game but the inept Blue Jays bullpen let him down tonight. Stroman threw seven strong innings, throwing a 2-hitter and walking three other batters. Unfortunately, a blister prevented him from throwing the 8th inning. I'm sure his finger will be monitored closely over the next 5 days to determine if he can make his next start. The good news is fellow starter Aaron Sanchez is set to begin a rehab assignment of 2-3 starts before rejoining the rotation towards the end of August.
• The game was lost by three key plays tonight. Ryan Tepera blew the lead in the 8th inning, allowing a three-run blast to the likely AL MVP JD Martinez, who might have been the best off-season signing of 2018. The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 9th, only to see new closer Ken Giles implode in the 10th in a non-save situation to the tune of 5 runs (a 3-run bomb and a 2-run jack), 4 hits and a walk. The loss ran Giles record to 0-3 on the season. I'm not quite convinced on the new Blue Jays reliever. Time will tell if he is better as a closer than Tyler Clippard/Tepera. BTW, Clippard pitched a perfect 9th with 2 strikeouts to give the Blue Jays the opportunity to tie.
• From all of us at JITH, let's wish Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy a speedy recovery from cancer. He has been diagnosed for the sixth time after beating the disease on five previous occasions. I have a lot of empathy for anyone going through the disease, having lost several family members on both sides to cancer.
• For the first time in a while, the entire starting lineup had at least one hit.
• The Blue Jays had their chances tonight and finished 1-6 with runners in scoring position. Had they driven in a few more of those stranded runners, we might be looking at a different result
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to put this one behind them and tie the three game series as Mike Hauschild, who threw 6 shutout innings in the game I saw in Seattle last Thursday, goes up against Red Sox lefty Brian Johnson