Blue Jays Tee Off On Porcello, Kelly As Sox Fall 13-7
BOSTON – The Red Sox saw their 10-game winning streak snapped by the Toronto Blue Jays in a 13-7 loss at Fenway Park Friday night.
The Sox were put in a hole early in the night by Rick Porcello, who delivered his worst outing of the year. The righty lasted just two-plus innings of work, surrendering seven hits, eight runs, and two home runs. Command was a problem for Porcello, who issued four walks while striking out two.
The Red Sox battled back and trailed 8-7 in the eighth, but Joe Kelly struggled mightily, giving up two hits, three runs, and hitting a batter. He did not record an out.
Kelly and Robby Scott were the blemishes on an otherwise strong night for Red Sox relievers. Hector Velazquez, Tyler Thornburg and Ryan Brasier combined for five innings of shutout ball. Scott gave up two runs and allowed two inherited runners to score.
Blue Jays DH Justin Smoak homered twice, while center fielder Kevin Pillar went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored.
Mookie Betts stayed hot for Boston, tripling twice and going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in.
How it happened:
Betts picked up where he left off Thursday night, tripling to open the night for Boston and scoring on a throwing error by Toronto shortstop Lourdes Gurriel.
Toronto scored three runs in the top of the second on a Pillar double and sacrifice flies from Gurriel and Dwight Smith Jr.
The Red Sox reclaimed the lead with a five-run second inning. Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in Sam Travis with a single through the shift, before Bradley and Sandy Leon were driven in by Betts’ second triple of the night. Brock Holt and Xander Bogaerts added RBI singles to round out the second inning.
The Sox took advantage of poor defense by the Blue Jays, who committed four errors in the first two innings of the game alone.
But Porcello failed to deliver a shutdown inning in the top of the third, allowing five runs and serving up home runs to Smoak and Smith Jr. before he was lifted from the game.
Mitch Moreland brought the Sox within one run with an RBI single in the fourth, but Bradley Jr. squandered a bases loaded opportunity with a groundout to end the frame.
The game remained within reach for Boston until the eighth inning. Kelly opened his outing by hitting Gurriel and giving up a single to Yangervis Solarte. Smoak then singled in Gurriel, ending Kelly’s night. Kendrys Morales and Pillar followed up by doubling off Scott, driving in two more runs to put the game out of reach.
Smoak added his second home run of the night off Scott in the ninth inning.
Up next:
The series will continue Saturday afternoon at 1:05. The Sox will send Eduardo Rodriguez (11-3, 3.62 ERA) to the mound. The Blue Jays will counter with Sam Gaviglio (2-3, 4.70 ERA).
