August 25, 2020

G30: Red Sox 9, Blue Jays 7

Red Sox   - 010 206 000 - 9 13  0
Blue Jays - 400 200 001 - 7 13  0
Kyle Hart (3.1-8-6-3-3, 70) fell behind by four runs, but the Red Sox rallied for a 9-7 victory over the Blue Jays in Buffalo, New York (an "All America City").

Down 3-6 in the sixth, Boston scored six runs, with Rafael Devers's three-run triple as the big blow.

Devers, Mitch Moreland, Jackie Bradley, and Alex Verdugo each had two hits. Xander Bogaerts had three hits and scored twice. Moreland also scored two runs, drew two walks, and drove in two runs. JBJ had two RBI. The Red Sox went 5-for-8 with RATS.

In the first inning, Toronto loaded the bases with one out against Hart on two singles and a walk. Lourdes Gurriel doubled home two runs. With two outs, Danny Jensen singled in two additional runs before he was thrown out at second 7-2-4 to end the inning.

Hart loaded the bases again in the second (double, walk, infield single), but escaped further humiliation when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded into a double play.

The Red Sox scored a quick run in the second on Bogaerts's double and Moreland's single. Boston's second run came in the fourth when Bogaerts singled and Moreland doubled. The gap was cut to 4-3 when an out call was overturned, giving Bradley an infield hit on which Moreland scored.

In the sixth, Moreland drew a walk to begin the inning and chase Chase Anderson (5-7-4-1-3, 83). Christian Vázquez got a second life when plate umpire Dan Iassonga blew a called third strike pitch from Wilmer "Courier" Font. Vázquez didn't waste the gift, crushing a double to dead center. Moreland, unsure if the ball would be caught, went to third. Kevin Pillar popped to first. Bradley singled to center for one run and Jose Peraza was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Verdugo's single to right scored Váz, and brought the Red Sox to within one run. Devers battled A.J. Cole, Toronto's new moundsman, to a full count, the key being a check-swing on a low 1-2 pitch. Devers whacked a hard grounder into the right-field corner, clearing the bases, and giving the Red Sox an 8-6 lead. He scored on J.D. Martinez's sac fly to right. Bogaerts singled, but Moreland popped out to first.

Darwinzon Hernandez pitched two innings, keeping the Jays off the board despite having guys on base (a leadoff single in the sixth and a single and a walk (both with two outs) in the seventh). Ryan Brasier tossed a clean eighth.

Matt Barnes's first pitch in the ninth resulted in the first out, but he was then tagged for a home run by Teoscar Hernandez. Barnes struck out Gurriel and Joe Panik singled to center. Pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez, the potential tying run, fanned on a first-pitch high fastball. Panik took second on indifference and, a few seconds later, trotted over to third as Barnes watched from the mound; the Red Sox in a shift the other way and could do nothing about it. Telez took a ball, whiffed on a curve in the dirt, saw a second ball, and went down swinging on a high fastball. (Barnes lowered his ERA to 6.00.)

On the night Boston won its 10th game of the season, the AL-East-leading Rays won their 20th.

Elsewhere: Lucas Giolito (9-0-0-1-13, 101) of the White Sox tossed a no-hitter against the Pirates. Chicago won 4-0 in 2:23. (Giolito walked the leadoff man (on four pitches) in the fourth.)

Jon Berti became the first Marlin to steal second, third, and home in the same inning. Berti took off for the plate as Mets catcher Ali Sánchez lazily tossed the ball back to pitcher Jeurys Familia. Berti tripped on his way to the plate and was on all fours before getting up and plowing into Sánchez.

Nationals center fielder Victor Robles made a stupendous catch of a deep line drive. That was amazing enough. But then he set himself on the warning track and uncorked a throw that traveled 288 feet in the air to double up Jean Segura, the Phillies baserunner, at first.

The Dodgers are 22-8, with a run differential of +79 (171 RS, 92 RA). The next best differential is +39 (by both the Twins and Athletics).
Kyle Hart / Chase Anderson
Verdugo, LF
Devers, 3B
Martinez, DH
Bogaerts, SS
Moreland, 1B
Vázquez, C
Pillar, RF
Bradley, CF
Peraza, 2B
From Sahlen Field, Buffalo, New York:
The Red Sox have no one in the AL Top 10 in average, on-base, slugging, OPS, runs scored, hits, total bases, singles, home runs, RBI, walks, stolen bases, ERA, WHIP, innings pitched, strikeouts, K/9, or saves.

However . . . there are now two teams with a worse winning percentage (9-20, .310). Not only the Pirates (7-17, .292), but also the Angels (9-21, .300). Plus, LAA is 11 GB in the AL West, which is worse than Boston's 9.5 GB the Rays in the East.

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