BOSTON (AP) — Davis Schneider went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs, and the Toronto Blue Jays completed a weekend sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 13-1 rout Sunday.
Schneider went 9-for-13 in the series, including a home run in his first major league at-bat on Friday. He's the first player in MLB history to have nine hits and two homers in his first three career games.
“I really wanted to just make the big leagues,” Schneider said, smiling outside the clubhouse. “Having nine hits and two homers in three games is pretty cool. I never would have expected it.”
Chris Bassitt pitched seven steady innings and Matt Chapman had a two-run double after Red Sox centre-fielder Jarren Duran misplayed a fly ball that would have been the final out of a four-run third.
Toronto moved five games ahead of the last-place Red Sox in the AL East for the third and final American League wild-card berth. The third-place Blue Jays lost their first seven games against Boston this season before the three-game sweep at Fenway Park.
“This is playing in sync,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “Everything kind of fell into place. This is a good team. I know our record was 0-7 coming in. You catch teams at different times, when you’re really rolling and you’re really not.”
Blue Jays centre-fielder Kevin Kiermaier made a spectacular leaping grab on Luis Urías’ sixth-inning fly ball and crashed into the wall. He walked off the field with a right arm injury and didn’t return.
“He got eight stitches in his elbow,” John Schneider said. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow. Nothing structural. It’s in a weird spot. It’s kind of on the top of his elbow.”
Triston Casas homered for Boston, which has dropped seven of eight. Red Sox infielder Pablo Reyes pitched a scoreless ninth, starting out with a 41 m.p.h pitch.
“We didn't get good results this weekend. Not exactly what we wanted out of it,” Justin Turner said. “We've still got 51 more games. Got to shake it off and get ready for tomorrow.”
Bassitt (11-6) allowed one run and seven hits. He struck out six and walked three.
With a runner on first in the third, George Springer hit a high fly to right-centre against Chris Murphy (1-1). Duran made a long run and was steadying to make the grab when he reached, missed the ball and it bounced off the warning track into Boston’s bullpen for a ground-rule double.
Chapman followed with his double off the Green Monster, and Cavan Biggio had an RBI double before Kiermaier added a run-scoring single.
Davis Schneider belted his shot completely out of Fenway over the Monster in the fourth.
“I don't usually watch homers or start jogging a little bit, but that one I knew I had it, so I kind of wanted to make it known I did,” he said.
The Blue Jays broke it open with a five-run fifth. Chapman and Kiermaier each had an RBI single in the inning.
“There's not much we have to say,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “They outplayed us the whole weekend.”
BACK IN
Boston right-fielder Alex Verdugo was back in the lineup after being benched by Cora on Saturday.
“Sometimes you’ve got to show him some tough love and sometimes you’ve got to be there for him in another way,” Cora said before the game. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Verdugo made a nice running grab up against the short wall near Pesky's Pole and went 3-for-4.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got the day off after going 0-for-5 on Saturday. … Toronto catcher Danny Jansen was out of the lineup for the second straight day with right wrist inflammation.
Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale (shoulder inflammation) struck out seven over 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his second rehab start for triple-A Worcester. … INF Trevor Story (off-season right elbow surgery) played shortstop for the WooSox and homered as he nears the end of his rehab assignment. “It’s spring training for him,” Cora said. “It’s how he feels body-wise.” Story is slated to have Monday off and play the next two days.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (0-1, 7.20 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series in Cleveland on Monday. RHP Gavin Williams (1-3, 3.38) goes for the Guardians.
Red Sox: RHP Brayan Bello (8-6, 3.79) pitches the first of four games at Fenway Park against Kansas City on Monday night. LHP Cole Ragans (3-3, 4.33) starts for the Royals.
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Ken Powtak, The Associated Press