Crappy defense and no hitting buys the Jays another loss

Red Sox 3 Blue Jays 0

So the good news first: Brett Anderson was excellent.

Through 5.2 innings, he allowed just 3 base runners, 2 singles and a double. He almost gave up a home run in the first inning, Eduardo Nunez hit one off the center field wall, about a foot or so short of a home run, going for a double instead, but the Red Sox couldn’t move him up from second. He didn’t issue a walk, and had with 3 strikeouts.

With 2 out in the 6, he ran into a streak of bad luck/defense:

• Rajai Davis singled, but we weren’t worried.
• Davis took off to steal, but Brett still had the ball. He threw to Smoak and Smoak threw to second, but Davis seemed to move into the way of the throw and was safe at second.
• Nunez popped one to right. Jose Bautista came in, slid, and missed the ball. He really should have had it. Davis scored (an earned run, but really should be considered unearned).
• Andrew Benintendi grounded one to first, but Anderson didn’t get to first quick enough and Benintendi was safe.
• Benitendi went to steal second and Nunez took off from third, but Darwin Barney saw it, Benitendi stopped and Barney ran at him, then threw to Miguel Montero...we had a rundown. But Montero flipped the ball over Josh Donaldson’s head and all were safe.
• Thankfully Mookie Betts ground out and the mess was over.

Only one run scored, but we made 4 mistakes in the inning.

Dominic Leone finished the 6th. In the 7th he gave up a solo homer to Hanley Ramirez to double the Red Sox lead.

Ryan Tepera had troubles for the second straight game. He gave up a 1-out single to Rajia Davis. Davis would steal second. A walk to Nunez was followed by Tepera trying twice to pick Davis off at second. The second attempt he threw into center field. Both runners moved up. A single and we were down by 3.

Offensively....we couldn’t get anything going off Chris Sale. Through 7 innings we just had 1 hit (a Kendrys Morales single). We started off the 8th with 2 singles (Morales and Kevin Pillar) and that was it for Sale. In total we had 3 singles, no walks and 11 strikeouts off him.

Addison Reed came in with the tying run at the plate. He struck out pinch hitter Ezequiel Carrera, Montero each struck out, before Ryan Goins singled to load the bases. Unfortunately Steve Pearce ground out to end the inning.

Craig Kimbrel pitched the 9th. Donaldson and Smoak struck out. Bautista lined one fairly deep, but into an out.

Jay of the Day: Anderson (.126).

Suckage? Montero (-.129), Pearce (-.157) and Donaldson (-.109). You could add just about everyone else for the crappy defense.

We had 403 comments (including a few from the ‘come in at the end of a loss and tell us the Jays are bad’ crowd. I never understand this urge.). Alan F led the way. Great job.