The Boston Red Sox dropped the final game of their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday with a dismal 6-1 loss at Fenway Park.
Rick Porcello was handed his seventh loss of the season after a stellar outing earlier this week. Marcus Stroman earned his fifth win of the season after tossing six scoreless innings.
Boston falls to 42-37 with the loss while Toronto climbs to 29-49 with the win.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Lackluster.
Porcello just didn’t have his best stuff Sunday, and neither did Boston’s bats.
ON THE BUMP
— Coming off one of his best performances of the season, Porcello had plenty to live up to Sunday afternoon. But it wasn’t the outing most were hoping to see from the righty.
Porcello gave up the first run of the game in the second thanks to a Brandon Drury single that snuck past the glove of Marco Hernandez, driving Rowdy Tellez home from second. Porcello had a bit more trouble in the third with a Cavan Biggio double to center scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from first.
The trouble continued in the sixth, starting with a balk that allowed the third run of the game to score. Porcello would walk the next two batters to load up the bases just before Danny Jansen laced a two-run single into left field to make it 5-0 Jays.
The 30-year-old completed six innings of work, allowing five runs (all earned) off eight hits while striking out just two batters.
— Josh Smith took over in the seventh, giving up a double and a walk before exiting the inning unscathed. He returned to the mound for the eighth, giving up a solo shot to Eric Sogard with two out to make it 6-0 Toronto.
Smith pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close things out for the Sox.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Shortly after Toronto got on the board, Boston nearly evened things back up in second inning.
But instead of tying the game, Holt was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Jackie Bradley Jr. single. Holt exited the game in the fourth with left hamstring tightness.
The Sox left runners stranded on first and second to end the inning.
— Eduardo Nuñez scored Boston’s sole run after Bradley Jr. reached on an error with one out in the ninth.
— Boston batters struck out 10 times.
— The Sox left seven runners on base throughout the day.
— Mookie Betts was the lone Boston hitter with multiple hits, Holt, Nunez, Bradley Jr., Andrew Benintendi and Christian Vazquez also added knocks.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Day and night difference.
UP NEXT
The Sox kick off a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, with Eduardo Rodriguez slated to take the mound in the series opener. First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m. ET.
