The Boston Red Sox did everything they could to give this game away early. Fortunately for them the Toronto Blue Jays did give it away late as the Toronto bullpen allowed the Sox to chip away late in the game and come away with a 7-5 come from behind win to earn a split of the day-night twinbill at Fenway Park Saturday night.
Down 5-2 in the sixth inning the Sox grabbed a run back and cut the Jays lead to 5-3 when Kevin Youkilis lead off with a double to center, Mark Kotsay walked, Jason Bay blooped a single off the end of the bat into center to load the bases for Jed Lowrie. The rookie infielder then hit a deep fly to right for a sacrifice fly scoring Youkilis.
Boston cut into Toronto’s lead even further in the 7th when once again a lead off double would lead to a run. This time Jacoby Ellsbury doubled into the right centerfield gap to start the inning, a Dustin Pedroia ground out to short pushed Ellsbury to third. Scott Downs came in to face David Ortiz and he walked and when Youkilis bounced into a 4-6 fielder’s choice Ellsbury cut the lead to 5-4. The RBI was the 100th of the season for Youkilis and also aiding on the play was Ortiz who cut down Blue Jay shortstop Marco Scutaro when he couldn’t get the ball out of his glove.
It wasn't pretty but Jacoby Ellsbury's single gave the Red Sox the lead.
In the eighth another Boston lead off hit started a rally that led to three runs and a 7-5 lead. Bay doubled into the left field to start the inning, Lowrie singled to center to score Bay and tie the game at 5-5. David Ross, in his only at bat of the game, sacrificed Lowrie to second. He would move to third on Coco Crisp’s bounce out to short. Ellsbury then would battle downs through a lengthy at bat eventually chopping a ball off the plate that died about half way down the first base line as Down’s fell on his face trying to field it. Lowrie scored on the dribbler and it was 6-5 Boston. After Shawn Camp came on to pitch, Pedroia singled to left for his 200th hit of the year Ortiz doubled to left to score Ellsbury to give the Sox a pad run and a 7-5 lead heading into the ninth.
Jonathan Papelbon then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.
Early on it looked like the Red Sox were gonna run away with the game when in the first inning with Ellsbury and Pedroia on 2nd and 3rd a wild pitch by Toronto starter Jesse Litsch bounced away from Gregg Zaun allowing Ellsbury to score. When Zaun flipped the ball to try to get Ellsbury he did so wildly and as the ball rolled away toward the Boston on deck circle Pedroia came around to score from second and it was 2-0 Boston.
Bartolo Colon was roughed up in his return to the Red Sox.
Bartolo Colon who started for Boston couldn’t hold the early lead though as the Jays rallied for five runs in the second inning. With one out Adam Lind and Scott rolen had back-to-back singles to center, Zaun then bounced a ball to Lowrie at third in what should have been an inning ending twin killing turned into an error and the bases were loaded with one out. Colon then walked Travis Snider to force home a run and it was 2-1 Boston. Joe Inglett doubled to left scoring a pair and Toronto jumped on top 3-2 just like that. A Marco Scutaro sac fly and an Alex Rios single later and it was 5-2. Colon was able to escape the inning without any further damage.
Notes and Musings:
Roush Fenway driver Dave Ragan was interviewed tonight by Heidi Watney which lead to an exchange by Remy and Orsillo about a new route Jerry gave Don which lets him cut off traffic and then jump the line when leaving the park. Don credits it with saving him 10 minutes on the way home. Jerry then suggested drafting the tractor trailers on the highway home.
Bartolo Colon is one of 7 active pitchers with 150 wins, 2000 innings pitched and 1500 strikeouts.
Dustin Pedroia now has 50 doubles on the year and 200 hits. He is the first Red Sox to get 200 hits since Mo Vaughn.
Kevin Youkilis now has 100 RBI for the season.
I thought the two first inning runs by the Red Sox were unearned. But thanks to Barbara Matson at the Globe according to John Blake they are earned for this reason.
“(the) wild pitch doesn’t count as unearned and second run is earned because he [Pedroia] would have scored on sac fly to center by Kotsay”.
The Jays scored five times in the second inning, three of which were unearned. Their third run of the inning was unearned because Zaun reached on the error by Lowrie. The 4th and 5th runs are unearned because they scored after what would have been the third out.
Jesse Litsch gave up a season high 5 walks tonight. His previous high was 3 in a game twice, both times against Boston.
