After a heartbreaking loss to the Red Sox on a late sac fly last night, the Blue Jays were back at it looking to even the series. Ace Jose Berrios got the start. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Cavan Biggio at first base.Could the Blue Jays even the series? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Red Sox opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as JD Martinez singled scoring Rafael Devers
- The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 2nd as Raimel Tapia whacked a 2-run blast inside Pesky's pole in RF; also scoring Matt Chapman
- Four batters later, Santiago Espinal scored on a sac fly by George Springer
- A batter later, Bo Bichette singled scoring Alejandro Kirk and Cavan Biggio
- Nick Pivetta pitching line: 4IP 7H 5R (all earned) 4BB 4K 95 pitches (61 for strikes)
- The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 7th on a sac fly by Espinal that scored Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
- Jose Berrios pitching line: 6IP 8H 1R (earned) 1BB 6K 96 pitches (68 for strikes)
- Final score: Blue Jays 6 Red Sox 1
My Take:
- Jose Berrios pitched 6 solid innings, allowing one run on 8 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. It was the first quality start by a Blue Jays starter this season (pitching 6 or more innings while allowing 3 or fewer earned runs). The Blue Jays need a few pitchers to pitch past the 5th inning given they still have 18 straight games (barring a rainout). He dealt with at least one base runner in every inning, but was able to make pitches to escape innings when he had to.
- The Blue Jays got a scare in the 6th inning when George Springer was drilled in the forearm by a fastball. He stayed in the game to run the bases, but was removed in the bottom half of the inning. This could be especially devastating for him since he was supposed to face his former team in Houston in less than 48hrs. The Astros come to Toronto a week later so a DL stint would mean waiting another year to face his former team. For the moment, the diagnosis is a forearm contusion, but the Blue Jays will not take any chances given his value to the team long term.
- The bullpen was solid tonight, holding the Red Sox yo a pair of hits over the final 3 innings
- Offensively, the bats woke up in the 2nd inning, scoring 5 runs on 4 hits, 2 walks, a hit batter and a sac fly. It was also nice to see them scratch across an insurance run in the 7th.
- Every Blue Jays starter except Vlad (drew 3 walks) and Santiago Espinal (drew a walk and had a sac fly) had at least one hit
- Up next, the rubber match. Kevin Gausman starts against Red Sox righty Tanner Houck, who will not travel to Toronto for the series that starts monday and goes through Thursday due to being unvaccinated
