Boston Red Sox blow 8-1 lead, hand Jays ninth consecutive win
Man oh man. I suppose Friday’s proceedings at Fenway Park is what happens when the American League’s best offense faces its worst pitching staff. The Boston Red Sox began their weekend home stand with the Toronto Blue Jays holding a comfortable 8-1 lead after three innings were in the books. It slowly dissipated before completely unraveling in the seventh inning when the Jays put up five hits and nine runs before a single out was even recorded by Boston.
Starting pitcher Joe Kelly wasn’t great, but he wasn’t his terrible self circa most of the 2015 season, either. He exited after six innings of work with an 8-4 lead intact.
The early feel of the game for Boston fans might have queued a momentum shift after their club had dropped three straight. But the cheers turned to boos before the seventh inning stretch, and all manager John Farrell could do was shake his head in bewilderment.
Justin Smoak should not be belting line drive switch-hit home runs from the right side of the plate over the Green Monster. The guy was a career .225 hitter batting right-handed versus southpaw’s with 19 career home runs and 144 strikeouts before facing Red Sox reliever Tommy Layne on Friday night. But that’s just how egregious Red Sox pitching is these days; they made Smoak into a Mike Trout-like figure at the dish. The Blue Jays’ first baseman was a double shy of hitting for the cycle, adding three RBI to his damage in the series opener.
More from Boston Red Sox
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- Stock Up, Stock Down: Braves, Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox
- Boston Red Sox: The 4 players who are on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Stock Up, Stock Down: Two teams rising, two falling post-trade deadline
For as generally ineffective as every pitcher who took the mound for the Red Sox was tonight, Blue Jays starter Drew Hutchison set the tone early for poor pitching performances. He lasted 2.1 innings and allowed three home runs, as many walks and eight earned runs. But the Jays dug deep and found room for a few rallies in the top of innings five and seven.
If Farrell wasn’t already in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after arguing with pitcher Wade Miley the other night in the dugout, he and his club sure are now. The Orioles and Rays both won tonight along with Toronto, putting Boston 7.0 games back of the division leading Yankees. It’s been a sorrowful fall from grace for Farrell since winning a World Series in his first season as the Red Sox’ bench boss in 2013.
The Yankees leading the AL East might now last for long, though. The Blue Jays are on fire in June after winning their ninth straight. The pitching has settled down too, which is scary for a team that has averaged an MLB best 5.5 runs scored per game. The Yankees rank second in that category with an offering of 4.6 runs per contest.
If tonight’s shelling of the pitching staff did not convince Boston Red Sox management that moves need to be made, then Ben Cherington and Co. are in the wrong line of work. Pick up the phone and make a few inquiries. What’s the worst that could happen, aside from finishing dead last in the division? Been there, done that. It was called ‘2014.’