By TERRY LYONS
BOSTON – On July 26, when the Boston Red Sox finished a two-game sweep of the Major League Baseball-leading Atlanta Braves, the season looked promising. Today, as the Toronto Blue Jays finished-off a three-game sweep of the Sox with an 13-1 thrashing of the home team, the entire season looks like a Chris Murphy pitch, soaring into the gutter on Landsdowne Street.
Instead of a four-game winning streak and momentum at the end of July, the Red Sox are now buried in the cellar of the American League East.
The Blue Jays scored first in the game, putting up four runs in the third inning. The rally started with a well executed bunt by Jays 1B Brandon Belt, followed by the first of three consecutive doubles off of the left-handed Red Sox reliever, Murphy.
DH George Springer hit his double to right center field, putting men of second and third with one out. Toronto third baseman Matt Chapman knocked in Bell and Springer with his double. Right fielder Cavan Biggio followed with the third double, scoring Chapman.
Toronto center fielder Kevin Kiermaier earned an RBI when he singled to left, scoring Biggio and spotting the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead. Kiermaier later left the game after making a spectacular defensive play against the center-field wall, but injuring his right arm/elbow in wither the catch or the throw back to the infield.
Toronto rookie second baseman Davis Schneider hit his second home run of the three-game series, ousting a ball over the famed Green Monster in the left field side of Fenway Park. The ball carried all the way to Landsdowne Street and was clocked at 107.5 mph on a 425-foot journey towards the CITGO sign.
The Blue Jays’ fifth inning produced another five runs as the club batted around. The outburst began with a walk to Biggio and a hit batter as Murphy clipped Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk’s hand. Two singles (Kiermaier and SS Paul DeJong), then another walk and another hit batsman and the Jays paraded base runner after base runner across Fenway’s home plate.
Murphy departed after 2.1 innings pitched with seven hits allowed, six earned runs, two walks with two strike-outs.
Boston’s rookie first baseman, Tristan Casas, put the Red Sox on the scoreboard in the fourth with a first-pitch, lead-off homer to the right field bleachers. It was Casas’ 17th home run of the season.
Schneider went 4-for-5 with a hit by pitch and the home run in the 4th inning. He had four RBI and scored once.
Bernardino (1-1) opened for the Red Sox, pitching only the first inning and allowing two hits but striking out two Blue Jays before giving way to Murphy.
Chris Bassitt (11-6) earned the win with his seven IP, allowing seven hits but only one run. He walked three Red Sox and struck-out six for his 11th win of the season.
Murphy (1-1) took the loss for Boston.
Boston shortstop Pablo Reyes pitched the ninth inning for his shellshocked club. He allowed one hit and walked two batters but escaped with no runs allowed and three left on base for Toronto.