Boston Red Sox’ third baseman Pablo Sandoval, right, scores the…
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Interim manager Torey Lovullo praised Bradley for putting his slump aside and producing.
The only runs Hill gave up came in the second inning. “He retired 16 of 18 and gave us a chance to maneuver in the bullpen”. In 2014, 96,350 fans jammed the domed stadium for a two-game set with the New York Mets. “He did a great job”.
The Blue Jays (85-62) took the opener of the three-game series 6-1, pushing their lead to 4.5 games over the second-place Yankees. “I told the guys on the mound, ‘This is going to be a great story”. “It’s something you don’t expect from somebody that resurrected his career as a starter”.
“We’ve been playing outstanding defence so we’re due for a clunker like this”, said starting pitcher Mark Buehrle, who was charged with an error in the fourth inning. “It simply felt thrilling to get again on the market with the blokes, feed off their power”. “He’s been really special these past two outings”, Bradley said of Hill. Then, after hitting him, Rodney slapped his chest, a common way players show that they accept blame, as if to say, “my bad”.
The Red Sox (69-77) came back with a run in the fifth.
Navarro put the Blue Jays ahead 2-0 with a two-run shot just to the right of the left-field foul pole.
In two starts since being called up, Hill has allowed three runs over 14 innings and struck out 20 with one walk.
Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion had three hits and two walks in his return after missing two starts with a sore left middle finger. Miguel Sano greeted reliever Trevor Gotts with a two-run homer. Bogaerts continued running to third as the out was made. One of those singles came via a challenge after the umpires turned Josh Rutledge’s RBI groundout into an RBI hit despite the best efforts of third baseman Donaldson to throw him out.
“I think we got lucky”, Lovullo said. Herrera, left fielder Shane Peterson and shortstop Jean Segura all chased the ball, but Herrera and Peterson collided, with the ball falling between them. If this scenario would still allow for Stroman to leapfrog Dickey to start a must-win game on regular rest in the situation that he’s the hotter pitcher, all is good and well.
“It’s become a bit of a tradition”, Blue Jays president Paul Beeston said on a conference call. But Toronto manager John Gibbons keeps getting asked to peer into October. Ortiz singled to left, Pedroia scored, Bogaerts to second. Colabello infield single to shortstop, Bautista to third, Encarnacion to second. Following a flyout by Pedroia, Bogaerts singled and Ortiz walked to load the bases. The Blue Jays, who have won three straight and six of eight, have a magic number of 12 to clinch the division and lock up a postseason spot for the first time since 1993.
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Hill, making his second start of the season for the Red Sox, lasted 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. It was Boston’s first win of the season when trailing after eight innings…. The 13.5 games that the Red Sox are behind the Blue Jays is pretty much it. Granted that’s a big factor, not to be dismissed; however, the Red Sox have 25 wins in the months of August and September, while the Blue Jays have 31.
