Jason Varitek’s RBI fielder’s choice in the 8th inning was the difference as the Boston Red Sox held off the Toronto Blue Jays to win 4-3 in front of 34,982 at Rogers Centre.
The win for the Red Sox pushes their lead to 7.5 games in the wild card over the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees. It also keeps the Red Sox 1.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for 1st place in the AL East as they killed the Twins tonight.
Paul Byrd gave the Red Sox 6 decent innings tonight.
Paul Byrd started for the Red Sox and gave them a chance to win. He went 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and a walk while fanning 2. Javier Lopez worked 2/3 of an inning, walking 1 and striking out 1. Manny Delcarmen picked up the win with a perfect inning. Hideki Okajima needed just 4 pitches in his 1/3 of an inning. Jonathan Papelbon worked the 9th for his 39th save.
Kevin Youkilis went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Jed Lowrie also had 2 hits for the Red Sox. Sean Casey knocked in 2 runs with his only hit. Mark Kotsay ended an 0-for-16 streak with a single.
After leaving Marcos Scutaro stranded at second in the 1st, Byrd got the first two outs of the 2nd. He then gave up back-to-back-to-back doubles to Scott Rolen, Gregg Zaun and Travis Snider that scored 2 runs to put the Jays up 2-0. Byrd then walked Joe Inglett but got Scutaro to fly out.
Despite numerous chances through the first 4 innings, the Red Sox couldn’t push any runs across the plate against their nemesis A.J. Burnett. That all changed in the 5th inning.
Varitek led off the inning with a double and went to third on a Jacoby Ellsbury bunt single. With Dustin Pedroia at the plate, Ellsbury was thrown out stealing second. Pedroia ended up reaching on a fielder’s choice as Scutaro went home with the throw to keep Varitek from scoring. Burnett struck out David Ortiz for the second out but Youk battled with Burnett and ended up with an RBI single that scored Tek. Casey followed that with a bases clearing double to put the Red Sox in front 3-2.
The lead didn’t last that long though as the Jays battled back in the bottom half of the inning.
Byrd struck out Snider to start the inning but an Inglett single and then a Scutaro double that scored Inglett tied the game up at 3.
Brian Tallett took over for Burnett in the 8th inning and struck out Casey. Bay followed with a single and then Tallett walked Kotsay. Shawn Camp came in for Tallett and walked Jed Lowrie to load up the bases. Camp then got Varitek to ground into a fielder’s choice as the Jays couldn’t complete the double play with Bay crossing the plate with the eventual winning run.
Things got a little interesting to start the bottom of the 9th inning.
Despite a throwing error, Jonathan Papelbon picked up his 39th save.
Adam Lind reached on an infield single and Papelbon’s throw from his knee went past Youk at first allowing Lind to get to second. Brad Wilkerson came into run for Lind. Paps got Rolen to line out to short and then a Zaun ground out got Wilkerson over to third. Papelbon ended the game with a strikeout of Snider.
It should be another great game tomorrow afternoon as it will be a battle of aces as Jon Lester and Roy Halladay square off.
Notes and musings:
Red Sox @ Blue Jays 9.19.08 boxscore
Dustin Pedroia begins play on Friday as the American League leader with 114 runs, 203 hits, and 50 doubles. In A.L. history, a player has led the league in runs, hits, and doubles in the same year only 6 times.
Jason Bay has produced his 3rd 30-homer season, 2nd most all-time by a native of Canada (Larry Walker-4).
The Red Sox are 4-17 indoors in 2008: 1-1 vs. Oakland at the Tokyo Dome; 0-3 at Toronto; 1-7 at Tampa Bay; 1-3 at Minnesota; and 1-2 in Houston.
Red Sox rank 3rd in the A.L. with 114 steals, matching 1973 for team’s 2nd most since 1917 (116 in 1934).
Over 3 million fans have seen the Red Sox on the road this season.
Sox on streaks:
Jacoby Ellsbury has a 10-game hitting streak
Dustin Pedroia saw his 3-game hitting streak come to an end
Jason Bay has a 4-game hitting streak
Mike Lowell has a 3-game hitting streak
