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Red Sox Waste Sonny Gray Gem in Frustrating Loss to Blue Jays originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox spent much of the summer looking nearly unbeatable. That version of the team has suddenly disappeared. Boston opened its four-game road series against the Toronto Blue Jays with a frustrating 2-1 loss Monday night at Rogers Centre. The Red Sox managed six hits, stranded nine runners and failed to capitalize on another impressive performance from Sonny Gray.
The loss was Boston’s third straight, dropping the club to 64-54 and 7 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East.
Gray deserved a much better result. The veteran right-hander limited Toronto to two runs on six hits over six innings, striking out four and walking one. He threw 99 pitches, with 63 landing for strikes, but fell to 14-3 despite lowering his ERA to 2.79.
Red Sox offense squanders early opportunities
Boston had chances to take control before Toronto scored.
Nick Sogard and Wilyer Abreu drew walks in the first inning, putting two runners aboard with only one out. Willson Contreras struck out, however, before Masataka Yoshida grounded out to end the threat. The Red Sox again put two runners on base in the fifth. Sogard and Ceddanne Rafaela delivered consecutive two-out singles, but Abreu grounded out against Simeon Woods Richardson.
Toronto finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth when Charles McAdoo drove Gray’s pitch over the right-field wall for a 373-foot solo home run.
The Blue Jays added what became the decisive run an inning later.
George Springer singled, stole second following a successful Toronto challenge and scored when Andrés Giménez lined a single into right field. Giménez advanced to second on the throw, giving the Blue Jays a 2-0 advantage.
That was all Toronto needed.
MORE: Wilyer Abreu Wins Major AL Honor for Second Time This Season
Boston’s late rally ends in disappointment
The Red Sox finally pushed a run across in the seventh after Caleb Seigler and Connor Wong opened the inning with consecutive singles. Sogard reached on a fielder’s choice, leaving runners at the corners with one out. Rafaela then lifted a fly ball to center field that scored Seigler, but Sogard was thrown out attempting to advance after an umpire review overturned the initial call.
The unusual sacrifice-fly double play ended the inning and prevented Boston from building a larger rally. Boston threatened again in the eighth when Yoshida walked and pinch runner Eli White stole second. Chad Durbin struck out to strand White in scoring position.
The Red Sox received one final opportunity against Blue Jays closer Louie Varland in the ninth.
Jarren Duran led off with a double to right field, and Seigler moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. With the tying run only 90 feet away, Andruw Monasterio struck out and Sogard grounded out to first to end the game. Varland earned his 25th save, while Woods Richardson collected the win after allowing one run across three relief innings. Toronto starter Jameson Taillon departed after four scoreless innings because of right forearm discomfort.
Jovani Moran kept Boston within striking distance by allowing only one hit over two scoreless relief innings. The pitching staff did its job, surrendering seven hits and two runs across eight innings.
The lineup could not provide the necessary support.
Boston finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and did not record an extra-base hit until Duran’s ninth-inning double. Contreras, Abreu, Yoshida and Durbin combined to go 0-for-12.
The Red Sox will have three opportunities to recover before leaving Toronto. After three consecutive losses, however, a team that recently seemed incapable of losing now needs to rediscover its offense before a brief skid becomes something more concerning.
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