The Boston Red Sox are leaving Toronto on a much higher note than when they arrived.
Boston entered Toronto on a four-game losing streak after being swept by the Baltimore Orioles, but they thrashed the Blue Jays in a three-game series at Rogers Centre, including a 7-1 win to complete the sweep Wednesday.
Rick Porcello kept the Blue Jays at bay en route to his eighth win of the season, and the offense got contributions from just about every member of the lineup, tallying 10 hits in the victory.
The Red Sox picked up three games in three days on the New York Yankees in the American League East to take a 5.5.-game lead in the division ahead of a crucial four-game series in the Bronx.
Boston improved to 76-57 with the win, while the Ble Jays fell to 61-72.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Streak.
As Lou Brown once said, if you win three in a row, “it’s called a winning streak.”
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Boston scored four runs in the eighth to send the Blue Jays faithful to the exits.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello continued his late-season surge Wednesday, as he made just one mistake in a dominating performance against the Blue Jays.
Toronto got on the board in the third inning when Raffy Lopez cranked a solo home run to right field.
Porcello wiggled out of a serious jam in the fourth, as the Jays loaded the bases with one out. But the right-hander snagged a line drive off the bat of Darwin Barney for the second out of the inning and struck out Lopez with a 93-mph fastball to end the frame.
The righty worked into the seventh but was lifted with runners on first and second with two outs. He allowed one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking two in 6 2/3 innings.
— Robby Scott recorded the final out of the seventh inning.
— Joe Kelly worked a 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts. He also tossed a scoreless ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Hanley Ramirez tied the game with a monster solo home run in the fifth inning. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and an RBI.
— Mitch Moreland gave Boston a 3-1 lead when he crushed a two-run home run in the seventh inning. It was Moreland’s 18th blast and third pinch-hit homer of the campaign. He went 2-for-2 with four RBIs.
— The Red Sox blew the game open in the eighth inning. First, Mookie Betts drove in a run with an RBI double, and Xander Bogaerts followed with an RBI double of his own to make it 5-1. After Rafael Devers walked, Moreland chased both Devers and Bogaerts home with a two-run single to swell the lead to six.
— Devers went 2-for-3 with a walk.
— Eduardo Nunez, Christian Vazquez, Betts and Bogaerts each recorded a hit.
— Andrew Benintendi, Chris Young and Rajai Davis went hitless for Boston.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Not a bad group to join.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will begin a crucial four-game series against the Yankees on Thursday night. Eduardo Rodriguez will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by CC Sabathia. First pitch from Yankee Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports Images
