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Toronto Blue Jays

Two for Two

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With their American League playoff hopes continuing to fade like the lazy days of Summer turning to the chilly evenings of September, the Boston Red Sox will look to bounce back from a series-opening, day-night sweep when they continue a rare five-game set against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays tonight.

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Much-needed wins were not in the cards for the Red Sox on Monday, as 4-1 and 7-3 losses dropped them to 5 1/2 games back of Minnesota, which currently holds the third and final wild-card spot.

“It’s not happening right now, to be honest with you,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s been going on for a while here, right? Most of (the players) haven’t been in this situation before, right? Every pitcher matters, every at-bat matters. We just gotta make sure we slow it down. … We’re better than this. We know that.”

Every team goes through such rough patches over the course of the 162-game season, but Boston’s four straight losses and six in eight games have come at a less-than-ideal time and immediately following a 4-2 stretch.

Center fielder Jarren Duran was a major bright spot for the Boston offense, hitting home runs in both Monday games while doubling twice in the nightcap.

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“It’s nice to come up with those productive days, but we didn’t get the wins,” Duran said. “I think we’ve just got to get back on the horse … and believe in ourselves again.”

Four errors were too much for the Red Sox to overcome, and Toronto’s five-hit showing with runners in scoring position was key to the latter Monday victory, its season-high fifth straight.

“We were ready to go, and that’s a testament to the leaders of the team,” Blue Jays shortstop Ernie Clement said.

Boston’s Cooper Criswell (5-4, 4.41 ERA) is due to make his second straight start after throwing 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball last Wednesday at Houston.

Criswell has a 3.88 ERA in 14 starts and a 7.30 ERA in six relief outings this season. He has a 5.68 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Toronto.

The Blue Jays had an outfield star of their own on Monday in Connecticut native George Springer, who also homered in both Monday games and has four over his last six games.

“It’s been a weird year for George,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “He’s been so consistent in the clubhouse, and he’s done such an amazing job to keep these young kids under wraps. It goes without saying, we need George to be George, and he’s been that for a good while now.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a two-hit game, giving him a .415 average since the All-Star break.

Yariel Rodriguez (1-5, 4.40) is slated to make Tuesday’s start for Toronto. The 27-year-old rookie has allowed nine runs in 9 1/3 innings across his last two starts, both no-decisions, against the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.

Rodriguez has failed to finish five innings in three of his last five starts, including Wednesday against Cincinnati when he let a 5-0 lead slip with five runs allowed in 4 1/3 frames.

Rodriguez’s first and only career start against Boston was made official on Monday with the completion of a June 26 suspended game. He pitched a scoreless first inning before inclement weather halted play.

Boston’s Danny Jansen began that game as Rodriguez’s catcher, but was traded to the Red Sox last month. When play resumed Monday, Jansen became the first player in MLB history to appear for both teams in the same game.

–Field Level Media

Jays Outscore Sox with Long Balls

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two doubles and four RBIs while George Springer homered to help the visiting Blue Jays past the Boston Red Sox 9-4 on Tuesday. The Blue Jays scored all nine of their runs over the third and fourth innings, highlighted by an initial seven-run scoring frame that erased an early 2-0 Red Sox lead.

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Blue Jays centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier also posted a three-hit game, scoring two runs and driving in another for Toronto. The support was more than enough for starter Kevin Gausman (6-6), whose six innings of work included five strikeouts and helped Toronto snap a seven-game skid.

Rafael Devers (2-for-4) and Tyler O’Neill each homered for the Red Sox, who were held to five hits while losing for just the second time in the past 10 games.

Brayan Bello (7-5) was roughed up for seven runs on five hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Josh Winckowski covered all but two outs the rest of the way, striking out a career-high eight over six innings of relief.

After a 1-2-3 start against Gausman, the Red Sox struck for a pair of quick runs in the second. Devers opened the scoring with a towering homer out to deep right center, his 16th homer of the season. O’Neill dropped a ball into shallow right over a lunging Guerrero’s glove at first base to continue the inning. Masataka Yoshida then lined a double to right and added to Boston’s lead at 2-0.

The Blue Jays wasted little time tying the game and more, tagging Bello for a seven-run inning in just a span of eight batters. Kiermaier knocked an RBI single off the glove of Enmanuel Valdez at second, and right fielder Wilyer Abreu’s relay throw sailed and led to the second run. After back-to-back walks, Guerrero crushed a go-ahead, two-run double into the centerfield triangle before a Turner grounder and two-run Springer homer into the Red Sox bullpen to bring Toronto in full command at 7-2. It was Springer’s sixth homer of the season.

The Toronto lead ballooned to 9-2 against the bullpen on Guerrero’s two-run double that bounced into the left-field corner and a subsequent throwing error. Devers’ fan-interfered double to center set up another RBI opportunity for Boston in the sixth, and O’Neill crushed a two-run homer out to deep right, his 16th homer of the season.

–Field Level Media

Sox On, Walk Off

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Reports) – A night after an exhilarating walk-off victory in the series opener, the Boston Red Sox will look for their fourth consecutive win when they oppose the visiting Toronto Blue Jays tonight.

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Jarren Duran (3-for-5) hit a single on Monday to score Ceddanne Rafaela with the game-winning run for the Red Sox, who trailed 6-2 after seven innings but came back for their eighth win in nine games.

Three of Boston’s wins in that stretch came during a series sweep at Toronto early last week.

Rafael Devers (3-for-4 on Monday) and David Hamilton each homered and Romy Gonzalez hit a game-tying, pinch-hit, two-run single to help the Red Sox prevail with the NBA champion Boston Celtics in attendance.

“It was just amazing,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve never really been a part of something like this, and hopefully we can just keep this thing rolling.”

Duran has hit safely in a career-high 14 consecutive games.

The Tuesday pitching matchup is a rematch from the finale at Toronto last week. Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello (7-4, 4.83 ERA) will oppose Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-6, 4.24).

Bello pitched six innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts in Boston’s 7-3 win on Wednesday.

“When you’ve got 97-98 (mph) with movement, a good changeup and a good slider, we want our guys to keep pounding the strike zone and he did,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after Bello’s latest outing. “(The starting pitchers) worked hard (last) week just controlling the counts and pounding the strike zone, and he executed the plan.”

Blue Jays Visit Fenway to Face Hot Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox look to get the best of an American League East rival for the second straight week, beginning another three-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, who will head to Fenway Park for the first time this season tonight.

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It has been a winning stretch for Boston, which took series from the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees on their last homestand before going 5-1 on a trip through Toronto and Cincinnati.

The Red Sox are 9-2 over their past 11 games after heading home following a 7-4 win over the Reds on Sunday, moving them into the third American League wild-card position.

Boston manager Alex Cora sees a talented team from top to bottom that is “playing with joy.”

“We went from a roster that we had some question marks early on in the season and now it feels like it’s one of the best rosters position-player-wise that we’ve had in a while,” Cora said. “From one to 13, we’re not afraid to play them. We’re in a good spot right now.”

Jarren Duran finished a highlight-filled series with a 3-for-5 performance Sunday to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He also stole his 20th base.

“He works so hard and he now understands what he needs to do to play every day, to keep his energy the way he should,” Cora said.

Of course, starting pitching has also been a major strength. Tanner Houck (7-5, 2.14 ERA) is slated to pitch on Monday.

Houck allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings Tuesday at Toronto. The right-hander had a streak of five straight outings of at least six innings snapped, but the Red Sox were eventual 4-3 winners en route to the series sweep.

Houck, who is 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA in six career outings (five starts) against Toronto, has still not allowed more than three earned runs in 12 straight starts dating to April 12.

“I’ve always known I can do better,” Houck said recently. “I’ve always known that I had the ability to do it and it was just kind of putting it together.”

The Blue Jays are trending in the opposite direction, having lost six straight and fallen to seven games under .500 after being swept in Cleveland.

On top of the extended skid, Orelvis Martinez — the organization’s star prospect who recorded his first major league hit Friday — received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Red Sox Take the Fifth

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Enmanuel Valdez and Jarren Duran hit solo home runs and visiting Boston defeated the Blue Jays, 7-3. Duran also had an RBI single to help the Red Sox sweep the three-game series and extend their winning streak to five games.

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Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-6) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out four in 5 2/3 innings.

Red Sox Keep On Rollin’

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela had three hits, including the go-ahead, two-out single in the eighth inning, and the visiting Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Tuesday.

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Tyler O’Neill’s home run to center leading off the eighth tied the game for the Red Sox, who have won the first two games of the three-game series and four straight overall.

Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt allowed two runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out six in six innings.

Boston right-hander Tanner Houck gave up three runs (two earned), six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned five.

The Red Sox opened the scoring in the second inning. O’Neill led off with a double to left and scored on Dominic Smith’s two-out bloop single to center.

Toronto took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Justin Turner and Addison Barger began the frame with singles, and both scored on Ernie Clement’s two-out double.

Boston tied the game in the sixth. Rafael Devers doubled to left-center with one out and scored on a two-out single to center by Masataka Yoshida.

Toronto regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Daulton Varsho reached first on an error and stole second. Turner walked. Alejandro Kirk’s one-out grounder to third forced Varsho before Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a soft RBI single past first base. Zack Kelly (1-0) replaced Houck, escaped the jam and pitched 1 1/3 innings.

Nate Pearson took over from Bassitt and allowed a double and a single in the seventh before being replaced with two outs by Brendon Little (0-1), who struck out Devers to end the threat.

O’Neill tied the game when he opened the eighth against Little with his 15th homer of the season and his third of the series. Smith singled with two outs, prompting Toronto to replace Little with Chad Green. Pinch runner David Hamilton then stole second and scored on Rafaela’s single to left.

Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 13th save of the season and fourth in seven days.

Toronto put shortstop Bo Bichette (right calf strain) on the injured list Tuesday and recalled infielder Orelvis Martinez from Triple-A Buffalo. Boston reinstated right-hander Chris Martin (anxiety) from the IL and optioned right-hander Cooper Criswell to Triple-A Worcester.

–Field Level Media

Sox Visit Power-Broker Blue Jays

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Blue Jays will be looking to carry a rare power surge into the opener of a three-game series with the visiting Boston Red Sox tonight. Toronto used a grand slam by Daulton Varsho and a two-run blast by Ernie Clement to beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-6 on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series.

The Blue Jays will complete a six-game homestand with their series against the Red Sox, who set a franchise record with nine stolen bases on Sunday night in a 9-3 drubbing of the Yankees. Boston took two of three games from New York and has won seven of its past 11 overall.

David Hamilton had four of the nine steals for the Red Sox, and he also had two hits, three runs and an RBI.

“(Hamilton) kind of carried the load there,” said Boston left fielder Jarren Duran, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. “It just kind of shows that when we can run the bases like we can, it does a lot for the team and puts us really in a good spot.”

Ceddanne Rafaela went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and one steal and is 11-for-19 (.579) during a five-game hitting streak.

“Like I always say, we’re gonna battle, we’re gonna make mistakes and we’re gonna win games,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “But that was good baseball (Sunday). Expect that from us. We’re gonna push the envelope. We have a bunch of athletes, and it just happens that the three of them are getting on base.”

Perhaps Toronto could take a page out of Boston’s book, as the Blue Jays have not been able to rely on the long ball to generate offense. They have 58 homers this year, tied with the Washington Nationals for third fewest in the majors.

Toronto manager John Schneider is hoping that Sunday’s grand slam gets Varsho and the entire offense going.

“I think I’ve hit him everywhere in the lineup, which isn’t ideal,” Schneider said of Varsho. “We joke about that almost every day, me and him. That’s a huge swing, obviously. Varsho is getting a better and better understanding of where he can handle the ball.”

Still, Toronto knows it has to get creative if it wants to challenge opposing pitching staffs.

“We can obviously hit the long ball, but we’ve also got to play some small ball at times,” Varsho said. “That’s what helps us win a lot of ballgames. Isiah Kiner-Falefa does it really well — I think better than anybody else on our team — being able to play small ball and move runners.”

Right-hander Nick Pivetta (3-4, 3.88 ERA) will try to contain the Blue Jays’ lineup on Monday.

Pivetta faced the Philadelphia Phillies in his last start, getting roughed up for four runs and six hits in four innings on Wednesday. He did not factor into the decision.

In 15 career appearances (13 starts) against Toronto, Pivetta is 2-4 with a 5.35 ERA.

Kikuchi came away with a win against the Milwaukee Brewers last Tuesday, giving up three hits across five scoreless innings. He is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) vs. Boston.

–Field Level Media

MLB Postseason: Blue Jays at Minny

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Minnesota Twins will try to end a nearly 19-year-old playoff victory drought when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of an American League wild-card series on Tuesday afternoon in Minnesota.

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The Twins’ most recent playoff victory was Oct. 5, 2004, against the New York Yankees. Since then, Minnesota has lost a record 18 straight postseason games.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays also are eager to turn around their recent playoff fortunes. Toronto has been swept in each of its past two wild-card series, in 2020 against the Tampa Bay Rays and last season against the Seattle Mariners, and it is searching for its first postseason win since Oct. 18, 2016, against Cleveland.

Toronto (89-73) won more games this season than Minnesota (87-75), but the Twins will have home-field advantage because they won a weaker AL Central. The Blue Jays finished in third place behind the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

The winner of this series will play the Houston Astros in the American League Division Series.

Toronto manager John Schneider said he and his players felt relief and excitement.

“Baseball is hard and this (East) division is hard,” Schneider said. “I think getting here probably takes a lot of weight off of the players’ shoulders. Looking back at spring training, there were very high expectations.

“People can say we either met them or fell short of them, but the fact that we are in. I think the guys really like that. They’re really looking forward to it because of how good they are.”

The Twins’ lineup includes several young players without playoff experience, but veteran shortstop Carlos Correa is looking to provide leadership and perspective. Correa went to the World Series three times with the Houston Astros.

Correa hit only .230 this season with 18 homers and 65 RBIs. He said those statistics carried no weight anymore, and that he felt healthy and ready to start in Game 1.

“You throw the numbers out the window and the (new) season starts,” Correa said. “This is the season that matters. It’s time to go.”

High-quality, consistent pitching helped propel both teams into the playoffs.

Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez will get the ball in Game 1 after posting an 11-8 record with a 3.66 ERA in 32 starts during the regular season. Lopez recorded a team-high 234 strikeouts in 194 innings, and he limited batters to a .238 average.

This will be Lopez’s second career playoff start. His first opportunity came with the Miami Marlins in 2020, when he allowed two runs on three hits in five innings against the Atlanta Braves.

In two career starts against Toronto, Lopez is 1-0 with a 5.59 ERA.

The Blue Jays will turn to right-hander Kevin Gausman to start the series. He went 12-9 with a 3.16 ERA in 31 starts this season, and he led the American League with 237 strikeouts in 185 innings.

Gausman has appeared in seven playoff games and started two. He is 0-1 with a 4.57 ERA in those contests, which have included appearances with Baltimore, Atlanta, San Francisco and Toronto.

In 11 career starts against the Twins, Gausman is 1-4 with a 6.35 ERA.

The Twins and Blue Jays faced each other six times this season, with each club winning three games. Minnesota had a narrow 28-26 advantage in runs.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Drop Another to Blue Jays

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Toronto’s Whit Merrifield hit a walk-off infield single with two outs in the 13th inning to lift the host Blue Jays to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Merrifield’s chopper to third baseman Rafael Devers against Mauricio Llovera (1-3) scored the designated extra innings runner, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., from third base.

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Boston had taken the lead on an RBI single by Pablo Reyes in the top of the 12th, but Toronto’s Bo Bichette tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

Toronto’s Chad Green (3-0) earned the win, only issuing an intentional walk in the top half of the 13th.

The Blue Jays tied the game with two outs in the ninth thanks to Daulton Varsho’s two-out RBI triple. Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela initially came in on the ball, and it ended up going over his head.

The Blue Jays (82-67) have won the first two games of the three-game series. Boston (74-75) has lost three straight games overall.

Devers hit a two-run home run for the Red Sox, while Guerrero hit a solo shot for the Blue Jays.

Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt allowed two runs, four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in seven innings.

Boston left-hander Chris Sale allowed one run, two hits and two walks in six-plus innings. He struck out 10.

Wilyer Abreu led off the sixth with a walk and stole second. Devers then hit his 32nd homer of the season.

Guerrero led off the bottom of the seventh with his 24th homer of the season, recording his third consecutive game with a home run.

Josh Winckowski replaced Sale following Guerrero’s long ball and walked three batters to load the bases with two outs. Brennan Bernardino came on in relief to retire pinch hitter Ernie Clement.

Boston’s John Schreiber allowed a one-out single to pinch hitter Cavan Biggio in the ninth, and Biggio took second on a wild pitch. One out later, Varsho ripped his game-tying triple to center.

Plate umpire Jordan Baker left the game following the eighth inning after being hit by two foul balls in the contest.

–Field Level Media

Toronto’s Vlad Hammers Red Sox

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Meet a new boss, same as the old boss?

That could be the Boston Red Sox mantra as they plod towards the end of the 2023 season.

Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run home run, Jose Berrios pitched seven strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Boston Red Sox 3-0 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

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The Blue Jays (81-67) ended a four-game losing streak and are 4-4 on a 10-game homestand. They were coming off a four-game sweep by the Texas Rangers.

The Red Sox (74-74) were coming off a split of a doubleheader against the visiting New York Yankees on Thursday. Justin Turner hit two doubles to lead the Boston offense.

Berrios (11-10) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out eight.

Boston right-hander Brayan Bello (12-9) gave up the three-run homer to Guerrero, along with three other hits and one walk in six innings, He had a career-best 10 strikeouts.

Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the third. Alejandro Kirk led off the inning with a check-swing double down the right field line. Kirk was out at third on Daulton Varsho’s grounder to shortstop. Bo Bichette walked with two outs and Guerrero hit his 23rd home run of the season on a blast to left-center field.

Berrios retired 10 straight before Turner doubled for the second time with two outs in the sixth. Alex Verdugo struck out to end the inning.

Masataka Yoshida led off the top of the seventh with a single. He was out at second on Wilyer Abreu’s grounder to first. Berrios ended the inning with a strikeout and a flyout.

Jordan Hicks replaced Berrios and pitched a perfect eighth with one strikeout.

Jordan Romano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts to record his 35th save of the season.

Notes: Berrios wore No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente, who was celebrated across baseball Friday.

Boston first baseman Triston Casas (sore shoulder) was a late scratch but could play Saturday.

Red Sox reliever Chris Murphy, recalled from Triple-A Worcester, struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh and added a perfect eighth.

–Field Level Media