The Boston Red Sox didn’t pitch well and weren’t able to generate much offense Saturday in a 7-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
The Sox have lost three straight games and seven of their last eight. At 13-17 overall, Boston is still just 5.5 games behind the New York Yankees for the lead in the AL East Division.
Here’s a closer look at Saturday’s game.
GAME IN A WORD
Free.
Red Sox pitching gave up eight walks, seven of which were from starter Joe Kelly. This helped Toronto score seven runs despite tallying two extra-base hits.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Edwin Encarnacion’s 3-run homer in the fourth inning opened up a 5-0 lead for the Blue Jays, and with the Red Sox’s offense struggling to score in the month of May, that was more than enough of a cushion for Toronto pitching to finish the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 with a single, a double and a run scored out of the leadoff spot.
— Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia went 1-for-4 and drove in the team’s only run with an RBI single in the fifth.
— Red Sox catcher Mike Napoli went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts and five runners left on base.
— Boston catcher Blake Swihart, left fielder Hanley Ramirez and right fielder Allen Craig were the only starters without a hit. Ramirez was 0-for-3 in his return to the lineup following a six-game absence caused by a left shoulder strain.
— Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval went 2-for-3 with a walk.
— Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. He gave Toronto a 2-0 lead in the second with an RBI single.
— Jays DH Jose Bautista went 1-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and two walks.
— In addition to his 3-run homer, Encarnacion was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks.
— The first four spots in Toronto’s lineup combined for seven hits, five runs and five walks.
ON THE BUMP
— Kelly struggled for much of the afternoon. His command was a real problem, evidenced by his career-high seven walks. He was able to escape bases loaded jams in the first and second innings with minimal damage, but two walks in the fourth inning set the stage for Encarnacion’s homer.
He gave up six earned runs, four hits, struck out three and walked seven in 5 2/3 innings.
— Boston reliever Matt Barnes, who was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket earlier in the day, entered the game in the sixth and allowed an inherited runner to score. He gave up one earned run, four hits, one walk and struck out one in 1 1/3 innings.
— Red Sox reliever Tommy Layne pitched a scoreless inning to finish the game.
— Jays starter Drew Hutchison began the game in fine fashion with a 1-2-3 first inning, including a strikeout of David Ortiz. He only pitched five innings, but it was enough to pick up his third win of the season. Hutchison allowed one earned run on seven hits, while also striking out six and walking one.
— Jays reliever Liam Hendriks pitched three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed. Roberto Osuna pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
TWEET OF THE GAME
An interesting stat entering Saturday’s game.
[tweet https://twitter.com/redsoxstats/status/597046769051148288 align=”center”]
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Blue Jays finish the series Sunday afternoon at 1:07 p.m. Clay Buchholz (Boston) versus R.A. Dickey (Toronto) is the expected pitching matchup.
Thumbnail photo via Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports Images
