The Boston Red Sox weren’t able to take a step closer toward clinching the American League East on Monday night after falling 6-4 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
The New York Yankees, who beat the Kansas City Royals 11-3 earlier Monday, now sit four games behind the Red Sox for the division lead.
The Sox didn’t get off to a good start Monday, as starter Drew Pomeranz gave up five runs in just two-plus innings of work. Boston’s bullpen pitched well, allowing only one run over the final seven innings, but the offense couldn’t mount another comeback.
The Red Sox drop to 91-65 with the loss, while the Blue Jays improve to 74-83.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Early.
It didn’t take long for the Blue Jays to score runs. Six hits and a walk led to five runs over the first two innings and a quick exit for Pomeranz.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Roberto Osuna pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal the victory for Toronto and earn his 38th save of the season.
ON THE BUMP
— Pomeranz gave up a solo homer to Josh Donaldson in the first inning to allow the Blue Jays to take a quick 1-0 lead.
He ran into trouble in the second frame, too. A double play appeared to point toward a quick inning for Pomeranz, but he then gave up a walk and two singles to load the bases. Teoscar Hernandez doubled off the Green Monster to score Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney, and then Donaldson came to the plate and plated Hernandez with a double. Pomeranz surrendered five hits and a walk in the inning, resulting in Toronto building a 5-2 advantage.
He gave up a leadoff single to Jose Bautista to begin the third inning and that was the end of his start.
Pomeranz allowed five earned runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out none over two-plus innings. It was his shortest outing of the season.
— Austin Maddox relieved Pomeranz and quickly retired the side to end the third inning. Maddox came back out for the fourth inning and picked up two outs before walking Hernandez. That’s when Blaine Boyer entered the game out of the Boston bullpen. He walked Donaldson before retiring the final batter of the frame.
— Boyer pitched scoreless fifth and sixth innings to keep the Red Sox within striking distance. He pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up two hits with one strikeout and one walk.
— Carson Smith recorded a scoreless seventh inning, and was helped by a double play after Donaldson reached base for the third time. He also threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
— Addison Reed entered for the ninth and gave up a solo homer to Goins that increased Toronto’s lead to 6-4. It was the first run Reed had surrendered since Sept. 3.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Xander Bogaerts led off the first inning with a single and Eduardo Nunez followed with a double. Mookie Betts drove in Bogaewiths on a groundout for his 100th RBI of the season. Hanley Ramirez platted Nunez with a groundout of his own to give Boston a 2-1 edge.
— Bogaerts walked in the fifth inning and advanced to third on a single by Sam Travis, who replaced Eduardo Nunez as the DH after he left the game in the third inning. Betts drove in Bogaerts with his second single of the game to trim Toronto’s lead to 5-3.
— Andrew Benintendi hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning to bring the Sox within one.
— Rafael Devers went 1-for-2 with a walk.
— Ramirez (0-for-4), Christian Vazquez (0-for-4), Chris Young (0-for-4), Deven Marrero (0-for-1) and Jackie Bradley Jr. (0-for-3) were the Boston starters without a hit.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Impressive company for Betts.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Blue Jays resume their series Tuesday night at Fenway Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Chris Sale (Boston) versus J.A. Happ (Toronto) is the expected pitching matchup.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
