Red Sox 11 - 7 Blue Jays
Final/11
  for this game

Red Sox claim marathon contest against Blue Jays

Aug 27, 2014 - 5:54 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Napoli's three-run blast highlighted a seven-run 11th inning, as the Boston Red Sox outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays, 11-7, in the second test of a three-game series.

"The ability to score multiple runs was key for us, to give us some breathing room," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Nap with the huge swing on a three- run homer, good to see Allen drive the ball out the other way, and we executed the small things.

Allen Craig hit a two-run shot in the deciding frame for the Red Sox, who won in extra innings for the second consecutive night to put an eight-game slide further into the rear view. Dustin Pedroia finished with two hits including an early two-run homer, four RBI and two runs scored.

Junichi Tazawa (3-3) tossed a scoreless 10th frame to notch the victory.

Dioner Navarro drove in two, while Jose Bautista homered and Munenori Kawasaki ended up with three hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who have played four straight extra-inning games and fell to 1-3 in those contests.

Casey Janssen (3-2) was charged with four runs -- three earned -- on two hits over his inning-plus relief stint.

"This was tough," he said. "We lost another tough game in extra innings."

Mookie Betts began the 11th with a hit, reached second when Christian Vazquez made it to first on his sacrifice bunt try, gained third on Janssen's error which allowed Brock Holt to reach on another sac bunt try and scored with Vazquez on Pedroia's two-run single for a 6-4 Red Sox edge.

Sergio Santos came on and fanned Yoenis Cespedes, but served up Napoli's drive to left which landed in the fifth deck at an estimated 451 feet from home plate. Daniel Nava followed with a double and came in on Craig's two-run shot to center which put Boston ahead 11-4.

"I was just trying to hit the ball hard somewhere, to get a single with a runner in scoring position," Napoli stated. "I guess this is pretty cool."

Toronto mounted a two-out comeback against Heath Hembree, as Navarro's two-run double and a Danny Valencia run-scoring double cut the Jays' deficit to 11-7, but Kevin Pillar grounded to short to finally end the contest.

Pedroia's two-run shot and an RBI single from Will Middlebrooks with two out in the top of the first staked the visitors to a 3-0 lead.

Toronto picked up one in the home third, as Kawasaki singled, went to third on a double from Jose Reyes and scored on a Melky Cabrera groundout. The Jays climbed back to 3-2 in the fourth as Juan Francisco walked with one down, went to second on a Josh Thole walk and came around to score on Kawasaki's two-out bloop to right.

The hosts evened things in the fifth. Cabrera singled, went to third on an Adam Lind double and scored when Edwin Encarnacion hit into a fielder's choice to third.

Cespedes singled home Holt in the top of the seventh to put the Sox ahead once more, but Bautista snapped an 0-for-17 string with a solo blast to left center in the home half.

Lind doubled with two down in the ninth, then Encarnacion was given a free pass, but Navarro fanned to end the threat. Toronto left another runner on second in the 10th.

Game Notes

Despite the setback, Toronto has won 10 of 15 games from Boston this season ... Pedroia homered in back-to-back games for the first time all season ... Bautista became the third member of the Blue Jays to have at least five straight 25-HR seasons, joining Carlos Delgado (9) and Joe Carter (6) ... A total of 15 pitchers were used in a game which took 4 hours, 33 minutes to complete ... Red Sox hurler Rubby De La Rosa exited after 4 2/3 innings, charged with seven hits and three runs with two walks ... Toronto's R.A. Dickey left after throwing 106 pitches over six full frames, having allowed five hits and three runs -- one earned -- while fanning six.






Related News