Blue Jays lose a tough one in extras to the Red Sox

The Blue Jays dropped a tough contest to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, letting the game get away in extra innings. They’ll look to split the series on Sunday.

Eduardo Rodriguez was on the mound for the Red Sox Saturday afternoon. In the top of the 5^th inning, Lourdes Gurriel grounded a ball to the first baseman Blake Swihart in which he couldn’t control. Swihart acknowledged the fact that he had no shot to get Gurriel at first, so he flipped the ball to his pitcher Rodriguez who has hustling to first base. Gurriel dove into 1st base, and that’s where things got ugly.

Rodriguez unintentionally kicked Gurriel in the back of the head and he stayed down for several minutes, but ended up being okay. When Gurriel was diving to 1^st base, Rodriguez ended up having to jump over Lourdes to avoid him and he twisted his right ankle when he came down. Rodriguez was done for the game. He pitched 5.1 innings, giving up four hits, no runs, and didn’t walk a batter.

Gaviglio had another okay start. Not bad, yet not good. Gaviglio went 3.1 innings in which he threw 56 pitches, gave up a run, a walk, and four hits. At this point in time, Gaviglio’s future with the team is uncertain. And after a great start to his Blue Jays tenure, these string of, okay, starts aren’t helping his case. As for the offence, Gurriel Jr continues to impress after going 3-5 on the day, including an RBI single in the 7^th inning.  Kendrys Morales continues to swing a hot bat, going 2-3. And Dwight Smith Jr., who came in for the injured Kevin Pillar in the 4^th inning, went 1-2 and scored a run.

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After Gaviglio’s night was done, the Jays bullpen came in and did a great job. Tim Mayza was the first one to pitch out of the Blue Jays pen, and he came in and threw 1.2 scoreless innings. Luis Santos, Joe Biagini, and Tyler Clippard allowed no runs in their four innings of work. Things didn’t go so well for recently called up Chris Rowley though.

Game three was highlighted by another grand slam for the Sox — this one by Xander Bogaerts. After a well pitched game by both teams, the game was headed to extra innings. Toronto failed to score a run in the top half of the 10^th inning, which meant all Boston had to do was score one in the bottom half and they would win.

It had sort of an inevitable feeling to it – that Boston would surely get a run and win the game. With two runners already on, the Blue Jays elected to intentionally walk JD Martinez to face Bogaerts – their 3^rd intentional walked batter of the game. The best team in all of baseball had the bases juiced in extra innings with only one out – you knew it was coming. They’d find a way to cash in a runner, one way or another. Sure enough, they did — in the grandest of fashions. Xander Bogaerts drilled the 2-0 offering from newly called up Chris Rowley to the triangle in center field, and this ball game was over.

Next: Chatting with the legendary Tony Fernandez

Game four of this four game series goes tomorrow at 1:05 PM ET and can be caught on Sportsnet. Marcus Stroman takes the hill for Toronto, opposed by lefty Brian Johnson.