Blue Jays 4 Red Sox 6
So it was a better effort than we’ve seen of late.
Kuzuma Okamoto hit a three-run home run in the seventh (which got us back into the game). Andrés Giménez hit a sac fly in the eighth (which tied the game). That was homer 23 for Okamoto, setting a new Japanese Rookie home run record.
We had a bunch of hits, 9 with 3 walks.
Daulton Varsho had 3 hits (really good to see some hard contact from him). Vlad and Okamoto had two each. Kirk had a hit and a walk and Nathan Lukes had the other hit.
Clements (0 for 4), Springer (0 for 4, walk), Schneider (0 for 2, k), Urías (0 for 3, k), and Straw and Piñango shared an 0 for 4 (Lips with 2 strikeouts).
We were 2 for 8 with RISP.’.
We had a tough time, early in the game:
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In the first: Clement reached on an error to start the game. After two outs, Springer and Kirk each walked to load the bases. But Schneider struck out (he took a two-strike change up down the middle for strike three).
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In the second: Varsho singled to lead off but was stranded there.
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In the fourth: We had two on (Kirk and Varsho singles) with one out, but Urías (pop out) and Straw (line out) ended the fun.
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In the fifth: With one out, Vlad singled and Kazuma doubled. But Springer popped out and Kirk flied out.
On the pitching side:
Trey Yesavage wasn’t great. 4 innings, 5 hits, 3 earned, 1 walks with 9 strikeouts. He only had three outs that weren’t strikeouts. But he gave up 2 home runs.
Mason Fluharty pitched a clean inning with 2 strikeouts.
Braydon Fisher gave up a couple of hits, a walk and a run. in the sixth.
Jeff Hoffman gave up a double, got a ground out, walked a guy, got a fly out. Then he gave up a hardish line drive right to Vlad, who had it go off his glove for an error. Had Hoffman run to first (like he should have, they still would have got the out, but he didn’t. Bases loaded. But a ground out ended the inning.
CJ Van Eyk got the eighth. Tough spot for the rookie. Single. Pop out. Fly ball to the wall in left. The back to back doubles to left scored two. On the second Piñango was back at the wall and then Lips decided to play it off the wall. It hit low enough off the wall that he could have made the catch. But he managed to turn it into a double, and the Red Sox were up by two. Left field is a tough spot in Fenway, but he really ought to have made the catch. A single ended Van Eyk’s night.
Adam Macko finished off the inning, but it was too late.
We did have a chance in the ninth. Vlad walk to start the inning. But Okamoto (strikeout), Springer (fly out) and Kirk (strikeout) ended the hope.
Jays of the Day: Varsho (0.20 WPA), Okamoto (0.15) and Lukes (0.12). Vlad gets an honourable mention for 2 for 4 with a walk.
Other Award: Eyk (-0.34, tough spot, and could have used some defensive help), Yesavage (-0.12), Springer (-0.17), Schneider (-0.11) and Urías (-0.09). Let’s give one to Lips too (-0.08, plus the bad play in left).
A much better loss than the last few, but still a loss.
Tomorrow is a 4:00 Eastern start time. I hate late afternoon weekend starts. Dylan Cease (6-5, 2.67) vs. Sonny Gray (12-1, 2.48).
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