That felt like a huge series win. After trading blowouts, today’s game was close fought, with offence on both sides early settling into a bullpen duel. After somehow losing a series to the White Sox, it felt like the team’s June momentum was sputtering. Going on the road and knocking off two major wildcard rivals in Cleveland and Boston restores the good vibes and sets them up for the run into the All Star break. The Yankees will present a tough test for the Canada Day series, as always, and then they will need to bank wins against the Angels, White Sox again, and A’s.
The Jays struck early. Addison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero jr. hit back to back home runs in the first to stake them to a 2-0 lead out of the gate.
The sides traded scoreless half innings after that, but Carlos Narvaez lead off the bottom of the second with a solo home run of his own to cut Boston’s deficit to one. Trevor Story followed with a single, stole second, and came home on a Ceddanne Rafaela double to tie the game at two.
The third inning was uneventful. In the fourth, Nathan Lukes singled, Ernie Clement walked, and Andres Gimenez lined a hit to right to put the Jays back in front. Walker Buehler lost the zone at that point, walking Jonatan Clase to load the bases and Tyler Heineman to force in a run and make it 4-2. Heineman snuffed out the rally there, though, getting himself picked off first for no discernible reason. They were able to get one more off reliever Zack Kelly in the fifth, though. Bo Bichette hit a ground rule double around the Pesky Pole in right, advanced on a Barger ground out, and scored on a Lukes single to make the lead three.
Eric Lauer had been pretty good to that point. Outside of the second, he’d allowed just one hit. Things got away from him a bit in the fifth, though. He started well, striking out Nate Eaton leading off. Nick Sogard and Romy Gonzalez hit back to back doubles after that, though, cutting the Red Sox’ deficit to 5-3. Roman Anthony added another single to knock Lauer out of the game. It wasn’t a terrible start, even if it fell well short of the unreasonable standard Lauer has set so far in his brief Jays’ tenure. He allowed three runs in 4.1 innings on seven hits, striking out four. Yariel Rodriguez picked up the baton, getting a pop out and a ground out to preserve the remaining lead.
Gimenez was hit squarely on the wrist to open the sixth, but it was actually Kelly who had to leave the game on the pitch. It wasn’t clear what his injury was, but he signaled for the trainers and was lifted for Brennan Bernardino. Gimenez is made of sterner stuff and stayed in the game. Bernardino sat the next three Jays down, though. Rodriguez remained in the game, giving up a triple down the right field line to Jarren Duran and hitting Abraham Toro but avoiding conceding a run.
Garrett Whitlock and Brendon Little exchanged 1-2-3 innings in the seventh. Greg Weissert did the same in the top of the eighth. Nick Sandlin broke the streak in the bottom half, walking lead-off man Carlos Narvaez, but escaped without damage. Finally, in the ninth, Aroldis Chapman struck out the first two Jays and got Bichette to ground out. Jeff Hoffman did him one better, striking out the side to secure the victory.
Jays of the Day: Rodriguez (0.204), Hoffman (0.101), Gimenez (0.142)
Not so much: Lauer (-0.131)
It’s back to Toronto tomorrow to host the Yankees for a four-set. Carlos Rodon (9-5, 2.92) will represent the visitors. The Jays have not officially announced a starter yet, but they’ll be hpoing that Max Scherzer (0-0, 5.63) will be able to make the start after his return from injury this past Wednesday.