The Red Sox already won 2 out of the 3 games with the slumping Jays and were looking for the 3rd win for the sweep. The Sox had Rick Porcello on the mound vs. J.A. Happ for the Jays. The Jays got out to an early 1-0 lead, but then the Sox tied it up and took the lead for good. The Sox won last night and the Yankees were swept in their doubleheader, so the Sox are now sitting 5 games up on the Yankees in the race for the AL East.
The Jays got on the board first when Lopez hit a solo home run in the 3rd off of Porcello. Sox 0-1. The Sox tied up the game in the top of the 5th when Hanley Ramirez hit a solo home run off of Happ. Sox 1-1. Once the Sox got Happ out of the game, the Sox bats feasted off of the Jays bullpen. Mitch Moreland came into the game to hit for Chris Young and hit a 2 run homer to put the Sox in the lead. Sox 3-1.
Porcello gave up that single run in the 3rd, but then settled down and kept the Jays off the board. Porcello was still on the mound in the 7th inning. He got two quick outs, but then gave up a walk and a single to signal the end of his night. Robby Scott came out and got the final out to close the book on Porcello’s outing. His pitching line is 108 pitches, 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB and 7 Ks.
The Sox bats bashed away again in the 8th inning to put a nail in any chance the Jays might have in this game. Betts and Bogaerts both hit RBI doubles and then Moreland hit a 2 run RBI single. Sox 7-1. Mitch Moreland turned a scheduled off day into a 4 RBI effort. Joe Kelly then came out of the bullpen and pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game. Given that neither Reed, nor Kimbrel were available, Kelly’s two innings of work were just what the team needed to complete the sweep of the Jays.
Red Sox 7 Blue Jays 1 BOXSCORE
WP: Porcello (9-15) LP: Koehler (0-2)
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