Boston was handed a one-sided, 18-4 defeat
Boston hasn’t been on the wrong side of too many lopsided loses this season, but Sunday’s 18-4 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays was the Red Sox’s second straight.
Martín Pérez struggled through a short start, and lack of available pitching depth led to position players Marwin González and Christian Arroyo taking over the mound to close out the game.
Red Sox pitchers collectively gave up eight home runs, including three three-run blasts that ultimately buried them. It was the most ever at Fenway Park in 109 years of baseball. And six hits from the offense weren’t enough to climb out of the early deficit.
With the loss, Boston falls to 39-27 on the season and three games back in the division. Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD (OR TWO)
Weather game.
For Sox fans in Boston watching at Fenway Park, this was one of those days where you’re thankful the weather at least was nice.
ON THE MOUND
— It was a quick day for Martín Pérez, who had the shortest outing of the season for Boston thus far.
He went just 1 1/3 innings and gave up five runs, three of which were homers, off six hits and a walk. The lefty didn’t record a strikeout before manager Alex Cora went to the bullpen.
— Boston used Ryan Weber most of the way after Pérez was pulled, despite the reliever being scheduled for a start with Triple-A Worcester. Weber went 5 2/3 innings and gave up 11 earned runs on 13 hits and two walks, including three two-run homers. He had seven strikeouts.
— Sunday warranted a position player (actually two) to take the mound as Marwin González got the honors first. He forced all three batters into outs with 11 pitches, six for strikes.
— Next up was Christian Arroyo. He gave up the eighth homer of the game, which is a new Fenway Park record.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— In his first game back in the lineup after a few rest days to deal with knee soreness, Bogaerts made sure Boston wasn’t shut out. He hit a solo shot to left field to make it a 5-1 game in the bottom of the second.
He reached on a walk later in the bottom of the fourth but was stranded.
— Arroyo singled to get the Red Sox going in the fifth, and Kevin Plawecki followed that up two batters later. A two-run double to left from Kiké Hernández brought them both in to make it a 13-3 game.
— Bobby Dalbec took a 91 mph cutter over the wall in center, going deep for the second time in three games, to make it 16-4.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Silver linings.
UP NEXT
Well, the Red Sox still can tie the series as the fourth and final game of the set is Monday with first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET.