Recap: Toronto vs. Boston
Sports Network | August 24, 2008
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Jed Lowrie's solo homer in the 11th inning was the difference, as the Boston Red Sox edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-5, in the rubber match of a three-game set.
Lowrie ripped a hanging breaking ball from Brandon League (0-2) out to right, his second homer of the season, with one out in the 11th. Lowrie's homer made a winner of Jonathan Papelbon (5-3), who tossed two innings of shutout relief.
Manny Delcarmen took Papelbon's usual spot as the closer and picked up his first save of the season. Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp also homered for the Red Sox, who have won four of six and pulled to within five games of Tampa Bay in the AL East.
The Rays visited the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up five runs on eight hits in six innings, with eight strikeouts and a walk for a no-decision.
A.J. Burnett had his six-start winning streak come to an end, as he took a no- decision after allowing five runs on seven hits in seven frames, with seven strikeouts and three walks. Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay homered for Toronto, which has dropped three of five.
Wells, who homered twice in Saturday's 11-0 Toronto win, went deep again in the first. His two-run homer went out down the line in the left, his 13th of the season.
The Red Sox took the lead with four runs in the third. Burnett hurt himself by walking the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, Alex Cora and Crisp, and Pedroia slammed a high, inside pitch out to left. Pedroia's 14th homer of the season put Boston in front, and David Ortiz followed with a double down the line in right. Kevin Youkilis drove him in with a single to center, and Boston took a 4-2 edge.
The game was delayed for about 15 minutes in the fourth inning after Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury went crashing into the wall to make a catch of an Adam Lind fly out. Ellsbury lost the contact in his right eye on the play, and Red Sox trainers had difficulty putting it back in his eye.
When play finally resumed Overbay golfed a pitch into the seats in right- center, his 11th homer of the season, to cut the deficit to 4-3. Toronto re- took the lead with two runs in the sixth.
Wells' RBI double tied the game, and Rod Barajas drove Wells in with a double to left with two outs. Matt Stairs, who had been on first when Barajas doubled, was thrown out at the plate, though, to end the inning.
Crisp led off the seventh with his seventh homer of the season, a high fly ball that just cleared the fence in right, and the game was knotted at 5-5.
The Red Sox played without outfielder J.D. Drew for the sixth straight game due to back spasms...Boston placed pitcher David Aardsma on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, retroactive to August 21, with a right groin strain. The 26-year-old had been on the DL with the same injury from July 19-August 8. In a related move, the club recalled pitcher David Pauley from Triple-A Pawtucket...The Blue Jays are still 11-4 in their last 15 meetings with Boston.
