The Red Sox benefitted from five home runs, including back-to-back blasts in the eighth inning, and it ultimately led Boston to 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Sahlen Field on Wednesday.
Kiké Hernández, Rafael Devers, Michael Chavis, J.D. Martinez and Hunter Renfroe all hit home runs. In total, Boston hit 11 balls out of the park in its past two games in Buffalo.
Garrett Richards got the win on the mound while the bullpen of Garrett Whitlock, Adam Ottavino and Matt Barnes combined to allow one hit in three-plus innings.
Boston improves to 58-38 on the season while Toronto fell to 48-44.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Sweep.
Boston swept the series, which ended up being just two games following Tuesday’s postponement.
ON THE BUMP
— Richards put together a strong start through five innings, but unfortunately ran into some trouble in the sixth.
The right-hander allowed back-to-back homers as the Blue Jays came back from a three-run deficit to make it 4-3. Those two home runs ultimately got Richards pulled after going 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five with one walk while throwing 55 of his 82 pitches for strikes.
Richards retired the side in both the first and fifth innings.
— Whitlock relieved Richards and ended the sixth with a fly out. He came back for the seventh and after Toronto put the tying run on second base, induced a line drive to Renfroe to help Boston maintain its lead.
— Adam Ottavino made quick work of the Blue Jays in the eighth inning. He retired the side in order with one strikeout.
— Matt Barnes came in for the ninth inning and retired the side in order with one strikeout, as well.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Hernández got the scoring started with a two-run home run in the third inning.
It was his third home run in the last two games, this one a screaming line drive 355 feet to left field. Bobby Dalbec, who led off the inning with a double to left, scored on the blast.
— Devers hit Boston’s second home run of the night to lead off the third inning. Devers’ blast measured 414 feet to center and extended Boston’s lead to 3-0.
— Chavis kept the train moving with a home run of his own in the fifth inning. The Red Sox second baseman belted one 409 feet to right-center field to give the club a 4-1 lead.
— Martinez and Renfroe came up clutch in the eighth inning as the two went back-to-back.
It gave Boston much-needed breathing room as the Red Sox’s one-run advantage ultimately became a 7-4 lead with just two cracks of the bat.
Martinez went 340 feet to right field.
Renfroe went 404 feet to center.
— Boston finished with nine hits on the night.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Hernández is on another level right now.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will return to Fenway Park on Thursday where they’ll begin a four-game series with the rival New York Yankees. Thursday’s game is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live on NESN.
