Red Sox-Blue Jays Runs

Rich Hill once was a top prospect in the Chicago Cubs organization.

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.

“He’s been really special these past two outings”, Bradley Jr. said. “It’s fun playing behind him”.

To that point, both starters had only a couple bad moments but had strong showings, respectively.

It would stay that way until the eighth inning.

“To lose a series like this, it [stinks]”, said Estrada, who’s surpassed his career high in innings with 160 1/3. “We had some double plays that could have been turned and me making that throw”.

When they return to Toronto Friday night at what will no doubt be a rapturous, sold-old gathering at Rogers Centre to play the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays perch atop the grid has grown to 3- 1/2 games.

Cecil was charged with the loss for Toronto, whose lead in the AL East shrunk to three games over the New York Yankees. Stroman got the victory against the Yankees in his first start, giving up three runs in five innings and getting the win.

But it’s what Saturday’s 7-6 comeback win over the Blue Jays means in the long run – next season and beyond – that can do wonders for a young ball club that the Sox look to field. Boston defeated Toronto 4-3. With Brett Cecil pitching, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval reached on a fielding error, as the pitcher couldn’t quite pick up the grounder into his glove. Mark Lowe came in to pitch and Sandoval took second on a groundout and then moved to third on Leon’s single. Sandoval reached first base on an error, eventually made his way to third and scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Jackie Bradley Jr.

“I had to get my rhythm back”. He hadn’t allowed a run since June 21 against Baltimore.

“I’m not going to dwell on that”, Manager John Gibbons said. “Today it was costly because we didn’t turn that double play. I’ll just try to do better tomorrow and that’s it”.

Noe Ramirez worked the eighth and Robbie Ross Jr. finished for his fourth save and second in two days. Ezequiel Carrera ran for Martin and pinch hitter Justin Smoak struck out to end the game.

The Jays were able to put up a quick three runs on the board early against Hill via a two-run homer by catcher Dioner Navarro and an RBI single by left fielder Ben Revere.

Xander Bogaerts’ smart base running chipped away at Toronto’s lead, scoring on an error charged to Buehrle. Bogaerts greeted Sanchez with a line-drive single to right field, and Ortiz followed with a single to left field that allowed Pedroia to sprint home with the go-ahead run.

Interim manager Torey Lovullo praised Bradley for putting his slump aside and producing. “We encourage that type of baserunning if we feel the circumstances are right”.

NATIONALS 13, MARLINS 3 (at Washington) – Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in an encore to one of the best starts of his career, and Yunel Escobar had four hits and four RBI as Washington defeated Miami.

Sandoval had been dealing with a fever of 101 degrees, according to Lovullo, and the Red Sox removed him from the game after he scored the run due to “lightheadedness”. But this was a little different because we showed a lot of character.

The Boston Red Sox were heating up a week or so ago but have been struggling the past week. The right-hander is 7-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break. Other than the 2007 season when he went 11-8 with a 3.92 ERA, Hill has been relatively insignificant in the Major League Baseball while bouncing between the minors and occasionally appearing in relief for a variety of teams including Boston from 2010-2012.