By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – If Major League Baseball would determine series wins by cumulative score, the Boston Red Sox would’ve defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 18-15. That’s not the way it works.
In the rubber game of their three game series played under bright sunshine at Fenway Park on Sunday, Toronto beat Boston, 5-3. Red Sox starter Walker Buehler took his sixth loss of the season, largely because he let up back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning.
Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger, batting second, took Buehler long with a liner to right field to make it 1-0. Batting third, slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plopped a long drive into the second row of fans in the Green Monster seats in left field to make it 2-0, Toronto.
In the second inning, Boston was able to fight back and tie the game, utilizing a solo home run by catcher Carlos Narvaez and a double by centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela who knocked in shortstop Trevor Story. Story had singled and then stole second base.
The Jays doomed Buehler in the visitor’s fourth inning, as the Boston starter allowed three walks sprinkled through an infield hit by centerfielder Nathan Lukes and a run-scoring single to right field by second baseman Andres Gimenez which scored Lukes.
Buehler was relieved in the fifth inning, but reliever Zack Kelly allowed a Lukes singled to score veteran shortstop Bo Bichette who had doubled off Kelly to lead off the inning.
The series had a very strange vibe, as Toronto opened the three-game set with a 9-0 victory on Friday night only to lose 15-1 on Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday, Jays reliever Yariel Rodriguez (2-0) earned the victory while Buehler’s record dropped to (5-6). Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman earned his 18th save of the season.
Boston fell to 13-13-1 in season series, 6-6-1 at home. Boston has allowed 5+ runs for the seventh time in the last 11 games, dating back to June 17. Boston has lost seven of their last eight , dating back to June 21. Previously, they won 10 of 12 games.
For the Red Sox, it’s on to Cincinnati as the Reds visit Fenway for a three-game set where the Sox will memorialize their 1975 American League title, but World Series loss to the Reds in one of the great Fall classics of our time.
Notes:
- Reliever Zack Kelly left the game after facing only one batter in the sixth inning, suffering from right oblique tightness.
- Toronto’s back-to-back HRs today marked the third time they hit back-to-backs this season.
- Toronto is 29-18 (.617) since May 8, trailing only AL clubs Tampa Bay and Houston during that span.