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TORONTO — The Blue Jays felt fortunate to escape with a split after scoring only two runs in a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Toronto second baseman Marcus Semien provided a walk-off homer in the opener for a 1-0 win, and Red Sox shortstop Jonathan Arauz bounced a single through the left side of the infield to burden the Blue Jays with a 2-1 extra-innings loss in the nightcap.
“We’ve beaten them in three of the last four games, and if we beat them (in the series finale on Sunday), it will be four of five. That’s pretty good,” optimistic Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoya said.
“I feel really good that we split because the pitching was really good on both sides. There’s nothing wrong splitting when you only score two runs.”
The Red Sox (65-48) won for only the second time in 10 outings. The Blue Jays (59-50) lost for only the second time in 10 games since their Rogers Centre return after a 22-month absence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the second game, Toronto starter Jose Berrios delivered six innings with six strikeouts, allowing five hits to continue the trend of solid starting pitching since the Blue Jays return to their home field.
With the Jays ahead 1-0, Berrios cruised, having struck out four-of-five batters before Alex Verdugo smacked a one-out, game-tying homer to straightaway centre field for his third hit of the game.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. almost gave the crowd of 12,659 a second win to celebrate. But his seventh-inning blast was hauled in by Red Sox centre-fielder Kike Hernandez up against the fence, a foot shy of where Verdugo’s knock left the park.
In the eighth inning, Arauz’s bouncer scored Franchy Cordero, the automatic runner. Toronto reliever Adam Cimber (2-3) took the loss. He has been a reliable hurler for the Blue Jays of late and will be called upon even more after the team announced Tim Mayza was placed on the 10-game injured earlier Saturday list with left elbow inflammation.
The Blue Jays did enjoy a 1-0 lead during the second game. Shortstop Bo Bichette led off the fourth inning with a single to left field. He advanced on Teoscar Hernandez’s groundout to third and scored on Breyvic Valera’s single to left-centre.
The Red Sox wasted an outstanding outing from Canadian Nick Pivetta in his debut outing at Rogers Centre in the opener. He tossed six scoreless innings in a 76-pitch gem, allowing only one hit and a walk to go with five strikeouts.
He set down the first 14 batters in a row. Toronto outfielder Corey Dickerson then broke up the no-hit bid from the Victoria, B.C. righty with a two-out single to left field in the fifth inning.
“Nick did an outstanding job, gave us six innings,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “Every pitch mattered. He stepped up to the challenge.”
With the 28-year-old Pivetta out of the game after six innings, Semien smashed a first-pitch 95 m.p.h. fastball from reliever Matt Barnes (5-3) over the left-field wall for the 1-0 win.
It was Semien’s 26th homer in 2021 and first career walk-off blast.
Blue Jays starter Robbie Ray was almost as effective as Pivetta. He allowed only two hits and struck out five in six innings.
Canadian Jordan Romano (5-1) took over for Ray in the seventh inning and enjoyed a one-two-three frame with two strikeouts.
Boston was without standout outfielder J.D. Martinez. He was placed on the team’s COVID-19-related injured list. He hasn’t tested positive, but Martinez felt unwell following Friday’s game and on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug 7, 2021.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press