Blue Jays 1 - 4 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

Blue Jays, Red Sox play rubber match at Fenway

Apr 29, 2015 - 11:59 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - R.A. Dickey takes another shot at his first win of the year on Wednesday when the Toronto Blue Jays play the rubber match of their three-game series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Dickey was awful in a loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, as he was rocked for nine runs (8 earned) and nine hits in just 4 2/3 innings to fall to 0-2, while ballooning his ERA to 5.25.

The 40-year-old knuckleballer wasn't able to complete six innings for just the second time in his last 24 outings.

"I've thrown three pretty fair starts and one clunker," Dickey said. "I've got 30 starts left. I'm not like throwing my hands up in the air and panicking, but at the same time you're always trying to figure it out, right?

Dickey is 6-3 lifetime versus the Red Sox with a 4.04 ERA in 16 games (10 starts).

Boston will counter with righty Rick Porcello, who has lost two of his three decisions with the Red Sox and is pitching to a 6.48 ERA. Porcello did not factor into the decision on Friday in Baltimore, but did not pitch well, as he allowed four runs and six hits in six innings.

Porcello had struck out the first five batters he faced and ended with seven punchouts. However, he served up sixth home run in four starts after yielding just 18 all of last season.

In eight games (7 starts) versus the Blue Jays Porcello is 2-5 with a 4.70 ERA.

Boston's rotation struggles continued on Tuesday, as Jose Bautista finished 2- for-4 with a solo homer and three RBI in the Blue Jays' 11-8 victory.

Josh Donaldson also went deep, part of his 3-for-5, three-run, two-RBI effort for the Blue Jays, who put an end to a four-game skid which included a 6-5 defeat in Monday's opener.

"It was going back and forth, back and forth, but the fact that we answered back after we scored four just tells you what these guys are about," Toronto manager John Gibbons said.

Marco Estrada (1-0) tossed three scoreless and hitless relief innings. Starter Drew Hutchinson gave up nine hits and six runs with five walks over four-plus innings.

Hanley Ramirez clubbed a two-run homer, with David Ortiz and Mookie Betts adding two RBI apiece for the Red Sox, losers in five of their last seven overall.

"We felt like we still had an opportunity to win this game, even though we were down three or four runs in the middle innings," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "We've got to find a way to gain some consistency."

Clay Buchholz (1-3) was shelled for six hits and five runs -- four earned -- over just 2 2/3 frames.

Boston starters have pitched to an MLB-worst 6.03 ERA this season.

The Jays are 8-3 in their last 11 games at Fenway Park.






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