Blue Jays Edge Red Sox 5-3 to Keep Wild-Card Push Alive
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By Harry Kettle
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- Proof-checked
Summary:
- The Toronto Blue Jays won 5-3, taking its second consecutive victory against the Boston Red Sox.
- Ernie Clement’s sixth-inning fielder’s choice allowed George Springer to score the go-ahead run.
- Boston has now lost four straight games, while Toronto continues its push in the AL wild-card race
The Toronto Blue Jays held off the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Tuesday, August 11, earning their second straight MLB win.
The American League Wild-Card Chase Goes On
Toronto broke a 3-3 deadlock in the sixth inning when Ernie Clement grounded into a fielder’s choice. The play forced out Alejandro Kirk at second, but George Springer scored from third to give the Blue Jays their first lead of the night.
Toronto added insurance in the eighth when Myles Straw delivered a two-out RBI double, extending the lead to 5-3.
Brett Bateman played a key role in the Blue Jays’ offense, tying the game twice with RBI hits. His RBI double in the third made it 1-1 before his run-scoring single in the fifth brought Toronto level again at 3-3. Charles McAdoo also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Cease Makes Toronto Debut
Dylan Cease made his Toronto debut on the mound, striking out seven while allowing three runs on five hits and four walks over five innings. He threw 104 pitches, leaving Toronto’s heavily used bullpen to cover the final four innings.
Chase Lee earned the win, while Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher and Spencer Miles combined to shut down Boston over the final four innings.
The Red Sox took an early lead through Ceddanne Rafaela’s sacrifice fly in the third. Wilyer Abreu then put Boston ahead again with a solo homer in the fourth, before Rafaela launched a solo shot of his own in the fifth.
The loss was Boston’s fourth consecutive defeat, dropping the Red Sox to 64-55. Toronto improved to 58-63 and remained within striking distance of the American League wild-card picture.
The game also marked the Boston debut of catcher Adley Rutschman, who was activated from the 10-day injured list less than an hour before the first pitch. Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline, Rutschman went 0-for-3 with two walks.
Toronto’s victory came despite continued pressure on its bullpen. Blue Jays relievers had already thrown 39⅓ innings over the previous eight days before adding another four innings Tuesday.
The Blue Jays will look to make it three straight wins when the teams meet again in the third game of their four-game series. Jose Soriano is scheduled to start for Toronto, while Ranger Suárez will take the mound for Boston.
Harry Kettle
Author
betting.ca
