BOSTON — Did the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays trade places?
For the second time in three games, it was Boston’s bats, not Toronto’s, that came alive in a 10-4 bashing at Fenway Park that earned the Red Sox the series win over the Blue Jays.
GAME IN A WORD
Potent.
The Red Sox’s offense was on fire once again, lighting up Drew Hutchison and the Blue Jays bullpen for 10 runs over three innings. That was plenty for Joe Kelly, who allowed just one run to pick up his eighth consecutive win.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
David Ortiz belted No. 498 into the center field seats.
Big Papi’s three-run home run in the third inning opened Boston’s lead up to 4-0 and paved the way for the Red Sox’s offensive onslaught.
ON THE MOUND
— Kelly did more than enough to earn his 10th win of the season.
The Red Sox right-hander needed 110 pitches to get through 5 2/3 innings but held Toronto’s dangerous lineup to just one run on six hits. Kelly struck out five Blue Jays, walked two and hit a batter.
Kelly cruised out of the gate, not allowing a single baserunner through the first three innings. It was a bumpy road from there, however, as eight Blue Jays reached base over Kelly’s next 2 2/3 innings (five hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch).
But the right-hander bore down went it counted. He struck out Russell Martin looking with the bases loaded to end the fourth and froze Jose Bautista on a curveball with runners on second and third to escape the fifth.
Kelly now has allowed two runs or less in seven straight appearances.
— Jean Machi retired the last batter in the sixth and set the Jays down in order in the seventh.
— Craig Breslow didn’t have the best eighth inning. He allowed two hits before surrendering a three-run bomb to Blue Jays first baseman Chris Colabello.
— Heath Hembree worked a 1-2-3 ninth to secure the win.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox’s bats had one heck of a series.
Boston racked up 10 runs on 14 hits Wednesday night. They scored a total of 22 runs on 35 hits during the three-game set.
— Ortiz launched his 498th career homer into the center field seats in the third inning.
The three-run blast gave Big Papi 32 homers and 90 RBIs on the season. Ortiz has racked up 90 or more RBIs in six of the last seven seasons, the only exception coming when he played in just 90 games in 2012.
— Mookie Betts continues to rake.
The Red Sox outfielder extended his career-long hitting streak to 15 games with a homer in the third inning, then smacked an RBI double in the fourth and hit an RBI grounder in the fifth.
—Â Ryan Hanigan had himself a night, as well.
The Red Sox catcher finished the game 3-for-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the fifth inning that helped break the contest open.
— Xander Bogaerts and Rusney Castillo each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
— Ironically enough, Jackie Bradley Jr. was the only Red Sox to miss out on the offensive party. The white-hot outfielder had a tough night at the plate, going 0-for-3 with two double plays and a strikeout.
Bradley now is 0-for-6 in his last two contests.
— Pablo Sandoval hit an RBI single in the fifth but left the game later in the inning with mid-back tightness. He was replaced by Deven Marrero.
TWEET OF THE GAME
That’d be Jays reliever Steve Delabar, who gave up four runs in 1/3 of an inning. So, yeah.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will get the day off Thursday before embarking on a nine-day, eight-game road trip against American League East opponents. First stop: Tampa Bay, where Wade Miley is scheduled to start Friday night against the Rays’ Chris Archer. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
