Blue Jays 5 - 6 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

Blue Jays clash with Red Sox at Fenway

Apr 27, 2015 - 2:04 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Toronto rookie Aaron Sanchez tries to string back-to- back wins together on Monday when the Blue Jays open a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Sanchez continued to struggle with his command on Wednesday against Baltimore, but picked up the win, as he allowed two runs and two hits in 5 1/3 innings. However, he walked seven batters and has issued 12 free passes in 14 innings this season.

"It was a battle for him, especially early," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "I thought he kicked it in a bit, especially in the fourth inning. It has been a battle for him up to this point this year, it's nice to see him get a win, but overall, even though he walked those guys, I thought he looked more confident today and a little more relaxed."

Still, he hasn't given up more than three runs in a start and is 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA.

Sanchez will be looking to get the Jays back on track after a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend that culminated with a 5-1 drubbing in Sunday's finale at Tropicana Field.

Mark Buehrle (3-1) had won his first three starts of the season, but was roughed up for five runs on 13 hits in 5 2/3 innings. He had been the beneficiary of 37 runs of support before his teammates came up empty for him on Sunday.

Josh Donaldson singled and Dalton Pompey doubled for the only two Blue Jays hits off Chris Archer. Toronto scored a run in the ninth on Justin Smoak's RBI single off Matt Andriese.

The Blue Jays, who entered this weekend series following a three-game sweep of Baltimore, were again without slugger Jose Bautista. He missed a fifth straight game because of a sore shoulder, but could return for this series.

Boston, meanwhile, dropped two of three in Baltimore and was crushed by the Orioles, 18-7, on Sunday.

Hanley Ramirez belted his seventh and eighth homers of the season and drove in four runs and Pablo Sandoval stroked his first homer for the Red Sox, who dropped four of their last five to finish 2-4 on a six-game road trip.

Wade Miley (1-2) was knocked around for seven runs -- six earned -- on five hits and two walks in just 2 1/2 innings and five other Boston pitchers combined to give up 15 hits and 11 runs.

"I'll say just in general, we have to do better in all phases of the game and it starts with how we keep the game under control from the mound," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "That wasn't the case today."

Getting the ball for the Red Sox on Monday will be righty Joe Kelly, who is 1-0 with a 4.08 ERA. Kelly had his worst showing of the season on Wednesday against Tampa Bay, but did not get a decision, as he yielded five runs, four of which came in the sixth inning, and eight hits in five-plus innings.

"I didn't get ahead of the hitters," said Kelly. "I fell behind with my fastball, which was pretty good for me tonight, and that sixth inning, I tried to get too fine with it and fell behind hitters and had to throw it down the middle from then (on). They put good swings on balls and got some good hits."

Toronto was 12-7 versus the Red Sox last season.






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