Final
Varitek's 4 RBIs help Red Sox edge Blue Jays 13-12
Apr 27, 2010 - 4:54 AM TORONTO(AP) -- Jason Varitek needed a little extra time to ice his aching body after this seesaw slugfest.Varitek had four RBIs, Marco Scutaro scored a career-high four runs and the Boston Red Sox held off the Toronto Blue Jays 13-12 on Monday night.
"I would have taken a 2-1 game rather than a 4-hour game behind the plate, to be honest with you," Varitek said with a laugh. "I was a little tired after about the fourth inning."
Varitek went 3 for 5 with a pair of two-run singles and Scutaro was 3 for 5 with a walk against his former team. Boston set season highs for runs and hits (18) in a wild game that lasted 4 hours, 3 minutes - the longest nine-inning game in the majors this season, according to STATS LLC.
The Red Sox have been involved in the four longest nine-inning games of the year - two against the New York Yankees (3:48 and 3:46) during their season-opening series and one against Texas (3:46) on April 20, according to STATS.
Varitek didn't have to crouch through those games, but he was behind the plate for all of a 12-inning win over Texas on April 21 that lasted 3:49.
"That was not the way we drew it up," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "I think I've said that a few times this year."
Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer and Lyle Overbay added a solo shot for Toronto, which rallied from an early 5-0 deficit against Josh Beckett. Overbay went 3 for 5 with four RBIs and scored twice.
Scott Schoeneweis (1-0) got one out for the win and Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Shawn Camp (1-1) allowed three runs and four hits in 1 2-3 innings.
Toronto's 12 runs and 16 hits also were season highs.
Beckett, who came in with a 6.62 ERA in 12 career starts against the Blue Jays, gave up eight runs and nine hits in three-plus innings, while Toronto's Dana Eveland allowed seven runs and eight hits in three-plus innings.
Beckett, who allowed seven runs to Texas in his previous start and saw his ERA balloon to 7.22 after this one, acknowledged feeling frustrated by the poor results.
"You try to make every adjustment you can," he said. "Unfortunately, every adjustment I made got hit harder than the last one."
With the offenses in high gear, Varitek said Beckett's line wasn't a fair reflection of his performance.
"He didn't have much margin for error," Varitek said. "They didn't let him breathe one bit. Whether he made good pitches or misfired a pitch, or whatever it was, today was one of those days I can honestly say you've got to credit the other team more than you have to look at what Josh did."
Both managers were planning bullpen overhauls after using 13 pitchers for a combined 399 pitches.
"We need somebody," Francona said. "We're a little thin."
Toronto didn't wait to make a move, sending right-hander Jeremy Accardo to Triple-A Las Vegas and designating righty Merkin Valdez for assignment. Right-hander Josh Roenicke and lefty Rommie Lewis were called up from Las Vegas.
"We'd be hurting a little bit if we don't get some fresh arms," manager Cito Gaston said.
Leading 1-0 on J.D. Drew's first-inning RBI single, Boston made it 5-0 with a four-run third. Varitek hit a two-run single and Adrian Beltre followed with a two-run double.
Toronto roared back in the bottom half with a six-run, 10-batter inning. Fred Lewis led off with a triple and scored on Aaron Hill's single. Vernon Wells doubled Hill to third and both runners scored on Overbay's double. After Alex Gonzalez singled, Bautista drilled a first-pitch homer into the second deck in left, his fourth.
Boston reclaimed its lead in the fourth. Eveland left with runners at first and second and was replaced by Accardo. After Kevin Youkilis loaded the bases with a single, Accardo uncorked a run-scoring wild pitch. Two batters later, Varitek lined a two-run single to center.
Toronto tied it again in the bottom half. Beckett left after opening the inning with walks to Hill and Adam Lind, and Scott Atchison gave up a two-out, two-run triple to Gonzalez, making it 8-all.
Boston jumped in front again in the fifth when Dustin Pedroia singled off Camp, stole second and scored on a two-out hit by Youkilis, but Toronto tied it in the bottom half on an RBI single by Lind.
The Red Sox took the lead for good with a four-run sixth. Darnell McDonald hit an RBI double, Scutaro singled home a run and Pedroia capped it with a two-run double.
"I was just trying to figure out how we were going to win," Francona said. "Once we got to 13, we're trying to figure out, do you go for two?"
Toronto closed to within one in the eighth on Overbay's RBI single and Bautista's sacrifice fly.
NOTES: Boston RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (neck) threw a 69-pitch simulated game and will make his season debut Saturday at Baltimore, replacing RHP Tim Wakefield in the rotation. ... The Blue Jays were the last team to score six runs in an inning off Beckett, doing it Aug. 17, 2008. ... Attendance was 13,847.
- Blue Jays 12, Red Sox 13 - FINAL
BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
M Scutaro ss 5 4 3 1 1 1 0 .276
D Pedroia 2b 6 3 3 2 0 0 1 .298
K Youkilis 1b 4 2 3 1 1 0 0 .299
M Lowell dh 6 0 1 0 0 1 8 .258
J Drew rf 5 0 1 1 1 2 3 .182
J Varitek c 5 2 3 4 0 2 2 .357
A B
Apr 26 11:15 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JOSE BAUTISTA SCORED VERNON WELLS
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, L OVERBAY ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 13
TORONTO 12 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: J BUCK (.170, 1-FOR-4)
Red Sox 13, Blue Jays 12 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 26 10:57 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY LYLE OVERBAY SCORED ADAM LIND
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, L OVERBAY ON FIRST, V WELLS ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 13
TORONTO 11 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A GONZALEZ (.289, 2-FOR-4, 2 RBI)
Red Sox 13, Blue Jays 11 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 26 10:50 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY LYLE OVERBAY (2) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF SCOTT SCHOENEWEIS.
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 13, TORONTO 10
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A GONZALEZ (.293, 2-FOR-3, 2 RBI)
Red Sox 13, Blue Jays 10 Bot 6, 0 OutsApr 26 10:11 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY DUSTIN PEDROIA SCORED MARCO SCUTARO AND DARNELL
MCDONALD
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, D PEDROIA ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 13
TORONTO 9 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: K YOUKILIS (.303, 3-FOR-3, BB, RBI)
Red Sox 13, Blue Jays 9 Top 6, 0 OutsApr 26 10:04 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MARCO SCUTARO SCORED ADRIAN BELTRE
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, M SCUTARO ON FIRST, D MCDONALD ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 11
TORONTO 9 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D PEDROIA (.293, 2-FOR-4)
Red Sox 11, Blue Jays 9 Top 6, 0 OutsApr 26 10:00 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY DARNELL MCDONALD SCORED JASON VARITEK
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D MCDONALD ON SECOND, A BELTRE ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 10
TORONTO 9 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: M SCUTARO (.270, 2-FOR-3, BB)
Red Sox 10, Blue Jays 9 Top 6, 0 OutsApr 26 9:56 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ADAM LIND SCORED FRED LEWIS
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A LIND ON FIRST, A HILL ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 9
TORONTO 9 BOTTOM,5TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: V WELLS (.320, 2-FOR-3)
Red Sox 9, Blue Jays 9 Bot 5, 0 OutsApr 26 9:42 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY KEVIN YOUKILIS SCORED DUSTIN PEDROIA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K YOUKILIS ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 9
TORONTO 8 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: M LOWELL (.286, 1-FOR-3)
Red Sox 9, Blue Jays 8 Top 5, 0 OutsApr 26 9:29 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY ALEX GONZALEZ SCORED ADAM LIND AND AARON HILL
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A GONZALEZ ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 8
TORONTO 8 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: J BAUTISTA (.239, 1-FOR-2, HR, 3 RBI)
Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 8 Bot 4, 0 OutsApr 26 9:15 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON VARITEK SCORED KEVIN YOUKILIS AND DUSTIN
PEDROIA
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J VARITEK ON FIRST, J DREW ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 8
TORONTO 6 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: A BELTRE (.292, 1-FOR-2, 2 RBI)
Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 6 Top 4, 0 OutsApr 26 8:52 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY JEREMY ACCARDO ALLOWED MARCO SCUTARO TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K YOUKILIS ON SECOND, D PEDROIA ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 6
TORONTO 6 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: M LOWELL (.296, 1-FOR-2)
Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 6 Top 4, 0 OutsApr 26 8:46 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY JOSE BAUTISTA (4) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 3RD OFF JOSH BECKETT SCORED ALEX GONZALEZ AND LYLE
OVERBAY.
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 5, TORONTO 6
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: J BUCK (.180, 1-FOR-1)
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 6 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 26 8:28 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY LYLE OVERBAY SCORED VERNON WELLS AND AARON HILL
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, L OVERBAY ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 5
TORONTO 3 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A GONZALEZ (.275, 0-FOR-1)
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 3 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 26 8:25 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY AARON HILL SCORED FRED LEWIS
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A HILL ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 5
TORONTO 1 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A LIND (.284, 1-FOR-1)
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 1 Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 26 8:17 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY ADRIAN BELTRE SCORED JASON VARITEK AND KEVIN
YOUKILIS
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, A BELTRE ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 5
TORONTO 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: B HALL (.174, 0-FOR-1)
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 26 8:05 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON VARITEK SCORED DUSTIN PEDROIA AND MARCO
SCUTARO
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J VARITEK ON FIRST, K YOUKILIS ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 3
TORONTO 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR BOSTON: A BELTRE (.281, 0-FOR-1)
Red Sox 3, Blue Jays 0 Top 3, 0 OutsApr 26 8:03 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
BOSTON 1 1 4 0
TORONTO 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - JOSH BECKETT
TOR - DANA EVELAND
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: F LEWIS (.208, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
A HILL (.150, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
A LIND (.274, 4 HR, 13 RBI)
Red Sox 1, Blue Jays 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 26 7:22 PM
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