TORONTO — The Boston Red Sox kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory in 10 innings against the fading Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
Red Sox reliever Chris Martin earned his third win of the season. Blue Jays' reliever Tommy Nance took the loss, dropping him to 0-3.
The Red Sox, who have won four games in a row, improved to 80-78, while the Blue Jays dropped their fifth straight game and are now a season-high 12 games below .500 at 73-85.
“The boys did an amazing job of fighting all the way to the end,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We used everybody. It was one of the most gratifying wins since I’ve been here.”
Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis was his typically dominant self to begin the game, striking out the first two batters he faced before retiring first baseman Triston Casas with a weak fly out.
The 28-year-old continued his dominant second half by pitching five shutout innings on Tuesday, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out four.
“Just another outstanding effort,” said Blue Jays manager Schneider of his starter. “Just filling up the zone, locating well. I can’t really say enough about how he finished up the season.”
Shortstop Trevor Story began the game’s offensive festivities with a double to lead off the second inning and then advanced to third on a groundout by left fielder Masataka Yoshida. But Francis would work himself out of trouble soon after, eliciting soft fly-outs from second baseman Vaughn Grissom and right-fielder Wilyer Abreu to keep the Red Sox off the scoresheet.
Stepping to the plate as an opponent for the first time at Rogers Centre, Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen grounded out to third to begin the third inning. Jarren Duran would reach base with a single shortly after, but Francis would manage to escape, as he did many times on the evening, by striking out third baseman Romy Gonzalez to retire the side.
Centre-fielder Joey Loperfido walked to begin the bottom of the third and then stole second to give the Blue Jays their first runner in scoring position. Left fielder Nathan Lukes walked as well shortly after, giving way to star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who ripped a double off the centre field wall to score both runners and give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.
Guerrero Jr. earned RBI No. 102 on the season, making him one of just 11 MLB players with over 100 in 2024.
Right-hander Lucas Sims came out of the bullpen to relieve Brayan Bello in the sixth, giving up a leadoff walk to second baseman Davis Schneider. The Blue Jays would add to their lead as George Springer doubled off the wall in left-centre one batter later before Nathan Lukes would score Schneider with a sacrifice fly, putting Toronto ahead 3-0.
Boston would not go away quietly, however, as the Red Sox started the sixth inning by loading the bases on right-handed reliever Ryan Burr, placing the leading run at the plate in Ceddanne Rafaela. Rafaela then singled through the gap at short to score two runners and cut the Blue Jays’ lead to one. Burr would limit the damage on the next at-bat, though, striking out Duran swinging.
The Blue Jays’ bullpen continued its woes in closing out games, as left-hander Genesis Cabrera would play setup role for Toronto heading into the eighth inning and proceeded to give up back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third. Yoshida wasted little time tying the game in the next at-bat, bringing Gonzalez home on a forceout.
The run marked Cabrera’s third blown save of the season and gave way to closer Chad Green entering the game soon after and keeping the game tied by getting pinch-hitter Nick Sogard to fly out to left field.
With their post-season fate hanging in the balance, the Red Sox sent out Martin to pitch the ninth for the second consecutive night. After walking Addison Barger, Martin got Clement to ground out into a double play and Davis Schneider to strike out swinging to send the game to an extra inning.
“It’s just a testament to who we are as a group, that we’re never out of a fight,” said Grissom of the Red Sox’ comeback.
“That’s what you need. The best teams are never out of the fight. That’s huge.”
Right-hander Tommy Nance entered the game for the Blue Jays in the 10th inning and immediately found himself in trouble, as Story doubled to bring home two runners and give the Red Sox their first lead of the game. Grissom would add an insurance run on a single to left field as the Red Sox held off a surge by the Blue Jays in the bottom half of the 10th to secure the win.
UP NEXT
Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (13-11, 3.91 ERA) is scheduled to make his final start of the season in Wednesday’s series finale. Red Sox RHP Richard Fitts (0-0, 0.00) is set to make his fourth career start.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.
Mike Stephens, The Canadian Press