Edwin Encarnacion's 3-run homer helps Blue Jays beat Red Sox

Red Sox 1 Blue Jays 7

So it looks like the pitching is coming around. The last 3 games we've allowed 2 runs. And we have a nice little 3-game win streak going.

Drew Hutchison was great, in the 1st and 2nd innings. The 3rd, 4th and 5th he pitched himself into and out of trouble. The 5th inning was particularly tough, he gave up 3 consecutive 1-out hits, costing him his shutout, and then, an out later, loaded the bases with a walk. It looked like he was determined to give back the 4 run lead he had at that point. At that point he could have been pulled, but Gibby went out to talk to him and left him in to get the 3rd out and finish 5 innings.

In all, 5 innings, 7 hits, 1 earned, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts. All-in-all, a step forward for Drew, who gave up 12 earned in 8.1 innings over his last 2 starts. It took him 106 pitches to get through 5 innings, but it was a much better start than we've seen from Drew for a bit now.

Liam Hendriks pitched 3 strong innings of relief, giving up just 1 hit with 3 strikeouts. He's been very good for us. Roberto Osuna, for unknown reasons, pitched the 9th, with us up by 6. He really could have been saved for another day. I do want Osuna pitching a bunch this year, he's got to build up arm strength, after missing most of last year after Tommy John, but no reason he should get a mop up inning at the end of an easy win. Ryan Tepera should have been used, if Hendriks couldn't have gone another inning.

On offense? We really should have ran away with the game in the first couple of innings. Russell Martin came up with the bases loaded in both the 1st and 2nd innings. We took 5 walks, in the first two innings. Add in a couple of hits, a Red Sox error and a wild pitch, we should have had more than 2 runs.

Fortunately, after 2 walks in the 4th, Edwin Encarnacion made Joe Kelly pay, crushing a 3-run homer. We added a single run in each of the 6th and 7th and that was plenty.

We had 9 hits and 8 walks on the day. Edwin, Jose Bautisa and Josh Donaldson led the way on offense, getting on base 10 times between them. The only starter not get a hit or walk was Michael Saunders. I'll forgive him, because it is is first day back after having his knee drained. Even Devon Travis had a walk and a single, I'm hoping that gets him going again.

Chris Colabello's batting average drops to .500, after an 0 for 2 with a walk.

Jays of the Day? Well, Hutchison has the number, at .202, I'm kind of unsure if he really deserves it, but I'll give it to him. Donaldson (.158) and Edwin (.186) also get JoDs. I feel like Goins deserves an honorable mention, even if he had a -.048, because he made a great catch on a soft sort of line drive/popup that was just over Donaldson, but Goins dove in behind him to grab. Also Hendriks deserves honorable mention for his 3 great innings of relief. I would have left him out for the 9th.

No Suckage Jays. Saunders had the low mark at -.077.

Tomorrow we go for the sweep. R.A. Dickey goes up again Sunscreen Boy. And, just a reminder, it is Mother's Day tomorrow. I'll be among the missing, we are taking my wife up to Banff for the day.

We had a very friendly GameThread, 889 comment, a nice number for a Saturday afternoon. Momus3 led us to victory, great job.