-Game #50 Boston Red Sox (27-23) @ Toronto Blue Jays (20-29) - game recap

Steve Pearce was 3-5 with a run scored and 3RBI as the Red Sox routed the Blue Jays 8-2

After a lengthy 13 inning marathon last night, the Blue Jays were back at it just over 12 hours hours. Clayton Richard came off the injured list after missing the first 2 months with a stress reaction in his knee. The southpaw was to be limited to roughly 50 pitches as he builds back up to a starter's load of 90+ pitches. The line up was pretty similar to last night, except Danny Jansen got the start behind the plate and Justin Smoak was the DH and Rowdy Tellez was at 1st base. Could the Blue Jays split the 4 game series? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as Freddy Galvis doubled home Rowdy Tellez
• The Red Sox ties it in the top of the 3rd as Eduardo Nunez scored on a ground out by Michael Chavis
• Clayton Richard pitching line: 4IP 2H 1R (earned) 2BB 2K 54 pitches (32 for strikes)
• The Red Sox took the lead in the top of the 6th as Rafael Devers singled home Xander Bogaerts
• A batter later, Steve Pearce singled scoring Devers. Pearce advanced to 2nd base on the throw home
• The Red Sox added a run in the top of the 7th as Mookie Betts doubled home Jackie Bradley Jr.
• Ryan Weber pitching line: 6IP 3H 1R (earned) 0BB 3K 93 pitches (59 for strikes)
• The Red Sox added a run in the top of the 8th as Nunez singled home Andrew Benintendi
• The Red Sox added a run in the top of the 8th as Devers singled home Bogaerts
• A batter later, Steve Pearce smashed a 2-run bomb to left also scoring Devers
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 9th as Justin Smoak smoked a solo shot to left-center
• Final score: Red Sox  8 Blue Jays 2

My Take:

• Clayton Richard had a decent first start in a Blue Jays uniform, giving up a run on 2 hits and a pair of walks. It will take him several more starts to build his pitch count up to the 90-100 threshold you want to see starters throw. 
• A day after the Blue Jays came back twice, the Blue Jays offence mustered a grand total of 4 base runners and a garbage time solo shot by Smoak. At one point, 15 straight Blue Jays made outs. Brandon Drury had a pair of hits and was the team's best player offensively
• By contrast, the Red Sox scored at least one run in the games final 4 innings and they did it with smart baserunning, taking advantage of mistake pitches and working the count
• Every Blue Jays pitcher allowed at least one run. I'm not sold on Elvis Luciano, who saw his ERA rise to 7.32. I also don't see knuckleballer Ryan Feierabend lasting much longer after he allowed a trio of runs in the 9th including a mammoth home run.
• The good news is the Boston Red Sox are leaving town.
• Up next, the Blue Jays open a weekend series against the San Diego Padres. The son of ex-Blue Jays reliever Paul Quantrill (Cal Quantrill) will start Saturday. In the meantime, Friday sees Trent Thornton pitching against Padres lefty Joey Lucchesi