What more can you say about Chris Sale?
The Red Sox ace was in complete command Saturday at Rogers Centre as Boston defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 to take the first two games of the three-game series.
Sale didn’t give up a single run in seven strong innings of work en route to his 11th win of the season.
The Red Sox improved to 46-35 with the win, while the Jays dropped to 37-43.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Overpowering.
Sale struck out 11 batters, giving him 24 over two starts in Toronto this season.
IT WAS OVER WHEN
The Blue Jays had runners on second and third with only one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but they couldn’t score. Troy Tulowitzki grounded out and Steve Pearce popped out as the Sox escaped the jam with a five-run lead.
ON THE BUMP
— Sale was dominant early. He struck out two batters in the first inning and struck out the side in the second frame. Sale then gave up just one hit in the third, fourth and fifth innings combined. He ran into a little trouble in the sixth, as noted above, but was able to get out of it. After giving up a two-out single in the seventh frame, Sale struck out Jose Bautista to end his outing.
He gave up four hits, no runs, one walk and struck out 11 over seven impressive innings. Sale threw 116 pitches (83 strikes). He’s now 11-3 on the season and has 11 games with 10 or more strikeouts. Boston is 13-4 in games that Sale has started.
— Blaine Boyer pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning with one strikeout.
— Robby Scott gave up a home run to Pearce in the ninth inning. He also struck out one batter.
AT THE PLATE
— Jackie Bradley Jr. continued his hot streak at the plate with an RBI double that gave the Red Sox an early two-run edge in the first inning. He finished 1-for-5.
— Hanley Ramirez has awoken at the plate. He went 3-for-5 with a run scored.
— Xander Bogaerts went 1-for-3 with a game-high three RBIs. He gave Boston a five-run advantage with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, then stretched the lead to seven a two-RBI single in the ninth.
— Dustin Pedroia went 1-for-4 with a two-RBI double that doubled Boston’s lead to four in the second inning.
— Sam Travis and Mookie Betts were the only Boston starters who failed to record a hit. Betts, though, walked three times and scored on each occasion.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Cy Young Award stuff.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Blue Jays resume their three-game series Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Drew Pomeranz (Boston) versus Joe Biagini (Toronto) is the probable pitching matchup. First pitch is set for 1:07 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports Images
