The Red Sox’s trip north of the border didn’t start well Friday, as Boston couldn’t keep up with the American League East-leading Toronto Blue Jays in a 6-1 loss at Rogers Centre.
GAME IN A WORD
Reverse.
Rick Porcello entered Friday’s matchup with a 3-1 record since returning from the disabled list. But that positive momentum didn’t continue, as he struggled from the get-go against the Blue Jays.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The outing fell apart for Porcello in the bottom of the fourth inning. After the first two batters reached, Justin Smoak belted a double to center field, scoring Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Smoak later came around on Ryan Goins’ wall-ball triple to right field.
That 4-0 lead was more than enough to hold off the Red Sox on Friday.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello did not have his best stuff.
The Blue Jays struck first in the bottom of the third inning after Kevin Pillar led off with a double down the left field line. Pillar advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Ben Revere RBI groundout.
It only got worse in the fourth after Smoak and Goins knocked in three more runs, giving the Blue Jays a 4-0 advantage.
Porcello’s struggles continued in the sixth inning, as the Blue Jays scored two more runs on a wild pitch and sacrifice fly. That was it for Porcello, who allowed five earned runs (six total), eight hits and two walks while striking out four over six innings.
— Matt Barnes came and pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief. The highlight of his performance came when he struck out Smoak on a changeup.
–Heath Hembree pitched a 1-2-3 inning of relief in the eighth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Boston’s only run came in the top of the fifth inning when Josh Rutledge drove in Rusney Castillo on an infield single. Rutledge originally was called out, but was awarded first after a replay. Castillo would have scored regardless, though.
— After sitting out Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, Mookie Betts was the only Red Sox with multiple hits. He reached base on a single in the third and doubled down the third base line in the eighth.
— Brock Holt, Travis Shaw, Xander Bogaerts, David Ortiz and Blake Swihart were the only other batters to record a hit in what was a rough evening offensively for the Sox against Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Someone is fired up.
UP NEXT
Wade Miley will try to right the ship for the Red Sox when he takes the mound against the Blue Jays’ R.A. Dickey on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre.
Thumbnail photo via Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports Images
