Final, Red Sox 5-2: It was business as usual for Koji Uehara in the ninth inning.
Uehara pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down a 5-2 win for the Red Sox. Boston took two of three from Toronto.
Jackie Bradley Jr. and David Ortiz both went deep, and Felix Doubront went seven strong innings to earn the win in Sunday’s series finale.
The Blue Jays jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but the Red Sox struck for four runs with two outs in the second inning. Ryan Lavarnway delivered an RBI single, and Bradley followed with a three-run homer over the right field bullpens. Kevin Pillar homered for Toronto in the fifth inning, but David Ortiz got the run right back by launching his 29th home run of the season in the sixth inning.
Doubront gave up two runs on four hits in his seven innings of work. He struck out two, walked two and threw 97 pitches (61 strikes). It was Doubront’s last start of 2013, as he’ll be available out of the Red Sox’ bullpen starting on Friday.
The Red Sox now travel to Colorado for two games against the Rockies. The first game will take place Tuesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:40 p.m. ET.
Good night, everyone.
End 8th, Red Sox 5-2: The Blue Jays sent R.A. Dickey out for another inning, and he took care of business.
Dickey retired Dustin Pedroia, Shane Victorino and David Ortiz in order. Pedroia grounded to third, and Victorino and Ortiz both struck out.
Dickey piled up 11 strikeouts in his eight-inning effort.
Koji Uehara will look to close this one out with a three-run lead.
Mid 8th, Red Sox 5-2: The Blue Jays threatened in the eighth inning, but did not score.
Josh Thole led off with a single and was quickly wiped off the bases when Jose Reyes grounded into a 5-4-3 double play.
Rajai Davis made sure the Blue Jays didn’t go down easily, though. He singled on a sinking liner to right field. Shane Victorino made a sliding bid, but was unable to make the grab.
Davis moved up to second base when Franklin Morales threw a wild pitch with Brett Lawrie batting. Davis then stole third as Lawrie walked. Davis now has 45 stolen bases this season, and it seems like every single one of them has come against the Red Sox.
Morales escaped the first-and-third jam by striking out Adam Lind. Lind couldn’t hold up on a slider in the dirt.
End 7th, Red Sox 5-2: R.A. Dickey has lasted seven innings despite a four-run second inning and a couple of long balls for the Red Sox.
Dickey walked Stephen Drew to open the bottom of the seventh inning. Ryan Lavarnway, who drove in Boston’s first run of the game back in the second, grounded into a 5-4-3 double play.
Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out swinging to end the seventh.
Franklin Morales will now take over after seven frames from Felix Doubront. Doubront gave up two runs on four hits. He struck out two, walked two and threw 97 pitches (61 strikes).
Mid 7th, Red Sox 5-2: It’s been a nice outing for Felix Doubront.
Doubront, who is making his final start of the season, retired the side in order in what will likely be his last inning.
Stephen Drew capped the top of the seventh inning with a nice play. He showed great range up the middle yet again.
Doubront has thrown 97 pitches (61 strikes thus far), and Franklin Morales has been warming up in the bullpen.
End 6th, Red Sox 5-2:Â The ball just kept carrying.
David Ortiz gave one a ride to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kevin Pillar thought he had it sized up, but the ball traveled well. When it landed, it touched down in the Blue Jays’ bullpen for a solo homer.
Ortiz’s home run was his 29th of the season and the Red Sox’ second of the day. Jackie Bradley Jr. ripped a three-run homer back in the second inning.
R.A. Dickey rebounded from Ortiz’s blast to retire Mike Carp, Daniel Nava and Will Middlebrooks in order. Carp struck out, and Nava and Middlebrooks flied out to left field.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 4-2: Felix Doubront didn’t have any problems in the sixth inning.
Brett Lawrie, Adam Lind and Moises Sierra went down without a whisper. Lawrie and Lind grounded out, while Sierra flied out.
Sierra’s fly ball to right-center field caused some brief confusion, as both Jackie Bradley Jr. and Shane Victorino chased after it. Bradley ended up making the catch in front of Victorino to end the inning.
End 5th, Red Sox 4-2: R.A. Dickey enjoyed a quick fifth inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr., Dustin Pedroia and Shane Victorino went down in order.
Bradley and Victorino struck out. Pedroia gave one a ride to deep right field, and Kevin Pillar took an adventurous route before making the grab.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 4-2: Kevin Pillar drove in Toronto’s first run back in the second inning. He was responsible for adding the Blue Jays’ second run in the fifth.
Pillar lifted a solo homer to left field to lead off the fifth inning. The ball dropped on top of the Green Monster, landing just in front of the railing in front of the first row of seats.
Daniel Nava played the ball — as it bounced back onto the field — and fired it back toward the infield. The umpires correctly ruled it a home run, though.
Josh Thole, Jose Reyes and Rajai Davis went down in order following the home run.
End 4th, Red Sox 4-1: R.A. Dickey tossed a 1-2-3 fourth inning.
The highlight of the frame was provided by second baseman Ryan Goins. Stephen Drew ripped a hot shot to the right side, and Goins dropped to his knees while corralling it on the edge of the grass.
Will Middlebrooks and Ryan Lavarnway sandwiched Goins’ nice play with a pair of strikeouts.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 4-1: Felix Doubront worked around a one-out single in the fourth inning.
Moises Sierra smacked a base hit into center field just past an outstretched Dustin Pedroia with one out.
Sierra moved up to second base when Doubront unleashed a wild pitch with two outs. Ryan Goins couldn’t cut into Boston’s lead, though. He flied out to Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field.
End 3rd, Red Sox 4-1: John Gibbons hasn’t been a fan of the umpiring in this series.
Gibbons argued a couple of calls during Saturday’s game, and it only took until the third inning for the Blue Jays manager to argue a call in Sunday’s contest. Gibbons had every right to be upset about the third-inning call, though.
David Ortiz hit a lined shot off the base of the center field wall with one out, and Rajai Davis hurried to get it back in. Ortiz then slid right into the tag. I mean, literally right into the glove. Second base umpire Larry Vanover was apparently blocked by the infielder, though, because he called Ortiz safe.
R.A. Dickey struck out the next two batters — Mike Carp and Daniel Nava — to make sure the botched call didn’t hurt the Blue Jays, but it was definitely a bad call by Vanover.
Mid 3rd, Red Sox 4-1: Felix Doubront induced a ground-ball double play to end the top of the third inning.
Rajai Davis walked with one out. He’s been a problem for Boston on the bases this season, but he never got a chance to wreak havoc in the third inning.
Doubront got Brett Lawrie to hit a ground ball to short, and Stephen Drew, who has been playing sensational defense of late, kicked off the inning-ending twin killing.
End 2nd, Red Sox 4-1: Jackie Bradley Jr. showed some pop in the second inning as the Red Sox exploded for four runs with two outs.
Ryan Lavarnway got Boston on the scoreboard with an RBI single into right-center field, and Bradley put the Red Sox in front with a three-run homer over the right field bullpens.
Daniel Nava got the offense going with a one-out single. Stephen Drew kicked things up a notch with a two-out knock before Lavarnway tied the game at one apiece.
Bradley let loose on a 1-0 knuckleball located up and in. If it’s high, let it fly, baby. The home run was Bradley’s third of the season.
Mid 2nd, Blue Jays 1-0: The Blue Jays have struck first.
Felix Doubront made quick work of the first two hitters he faced in the second inning. Adam Lind grounded to first base and Moises Sierra flied to right field. Doubront ran into some trouble after walking Mark DeRosa with two down.
Ryan Goins and Kevin Pillar hit back-to-back singles. Pillar’s single plated DeRosa, as Jackie Bradley Jr.’s throw home was off the mark.
The inning ended with Doubront striking out Josh Thole looking.
End 1st, 0-0: R.A. Dickey also worked a scoreless first inning.
Dustin Pedroia was retired on a bang-bang play to begin the inning. He hit a ground ball up the middle, and Jose Reyes ranged over to make the play. Reyes then delivered an off-balance throw to first, and it just beat Pedroia, who threw his arms out to make a safe call upon crossing the bag.
Shane Victorino struck out looking for the second out. Dickey sat him down with a knuckleball.
David Ortiz then hit a sharp grounder up the middle that second baseman Ryan Goins handled for the third out.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Felix Doubront didn’t have any issues in the first inning.
Doubront struck out Jose Reyes to begin his afternoon. The left-hander went with all fastballs while picking up the K.
Rajai Davis then flied out to his counterpart in center field, and Brett Lawrie grounded to second base.
1:38 p.m.: We’re underway at Fenway Park.
12:44 p.m.: Sunday’s game marks Boston’s 81st and final regular season home game of 2013. The Red Sox have the best home record in the American League (52-28) and second-best home record in the majors. Only the Atlanta Braves (52-22) have a better home record.
The Red Sox are also an MLB-best 27-14 in day games this season.
12:13 p.m.:Â The Red Sox unveiled a statue of Carl Yastrzemski outside of Fenway Park before Sunday’s game. Yaz will also throw out the first pitch.
The statue of Yastrzemski is located outside Gate B at Fenway. It depicts Yaz tipping his helmet to the Boston fans before the final at-bat of his 23-year career.
Yaz is the all-time Red Sox leader in games played (3,308), runs (1,816), hits (3,419) and RBI (1,844).
For more on Yaz, check out BostonFanFavorites.com.
11:10 a.m.: The Red Sox’ lineup for Sunday’s game looks a little more normal.
Mike Napoli will get his second straight day off, as Mike Carp will play first base and hit cleanup. Ryan Lavarnway will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Shane Victorino will also shift back over to right field with Jackie Bradley Jr. starting in center. Victorino has had a terrific season defensively, but he’s been a little bit shaky in center field while playing the position in Jacoby Ellsbury’s absence.
Sunday’s complete lineups are below.
Red Sox (94-62)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Shane Victorino, RF
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Carp, 1B
Daniel Nava, LF
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Stephen Drew, SS
Ryan Lavarnway, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Felix Doubront, LHP (10-6, 4.15 ERA)
Blue Jays (71-83)
Jose Reyes, SS
Rajai Davis, CF
Brett Lawrie, 3B
Adam Lind, 1B
Moises Sierra, LF
Mark DeRosa, DH
Ryan Goins, 2B
Kevin Pillar, RF
Josh Thole, C
R.A. Dickey, RHP (13-12, 4.21 ERA)
8 a.m. ET: After Sunday’s game, the Red Sox won’t take the field at Fenway Park until Oct. 4. That’s when they’ll kick off their American League Division Series matchup with an opponent that’s still yet to be determined.
Felix Doubront will take the ball in the Red Sox’ final home game of the regular season Sunday. In all likelihood, he’ll shift to the bullpen following the start. Ryan Dempster already made such a move, and the right-hander saw his first relief action in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays.
Doubront will be opposed by R.A. Dickey, who has had a difficult encore to his 2012 NL Cy Young season. Dickey arrived in Toronto amid the team’s flurry of offseason moves, and he hasn’t been the ace that the Blue Jays were hoping for upon acquiring him from the Mets.
The Red Sox really shuffled their lineup Saturday, with Stephen Drew leading off and Will Middlebrooks playing first base. We’ll see what John Farrell has in store for the club’s second game since clinching the AL East on Friday.
Sunday’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. Tune in on NESN, and keep it right here with NESN.com.
