Redblacks get big win
Blue Jays: RHP Michael Bolsinger was placed on the 10-day disabled list prior to the game with left knee inflammation. Bolsinger allowed one hit — a walk-off homer in the 15th inning — in 3 1/3 innings in Toronto’s 5-4 loss Tuesday. RHP Cesar Valdez was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo . ... RHP Joe Smith (right shoulder) was expected to be activated from the disabled list Wednesday, but will instead need one more rehab start in the minors. The plan is for him to meet the team for its series in Cleveland, which begins on Friday.
Red Sox: SS Xander Bogaerts (right hand) took pregame ground balls and manager John Farrell is hopeful he can be back in the lineup Thursday. He was a late scratch Tuesday and had an MRI on the hand, which has bothered him since he was hit by a pitch July 6.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: LHP Francisco Liriano (5-5, 6.04 ERA) will make his 16th start of the season. He lasted just two innings in his last outing on July 15 at Detroit, giving up five runs.
Red Sox: RHP Doug Fister (0-3, 6.75) appeared in relief last week in Boston’s 4-1, 16-inning loss to the Yankees. He took the loss after allowing three runs over 2 2/3 innings.
The message from the Ottawa Redblacks coaches to their players has been very simple: Make more big plays, make less mistakes.
On Wednesday night, under mostly clear skies at TD Place, the Redblacks listened — and came up huge.
While it was too early in the season to be do-or-die, the 24-19 victory over the Montreal Alouettes should provide a much-needed boost in confidence among the players and faith among the fans. It wasn’t easy, a resilient Alouettes team gave them all they could handle. And, yes, football is a game of inches. But, the Redblacks, with their first win of the season after a tie and three losses, will take it.
Making plays? How about this? Interceptions by Jerrell Gavins and Antoine Pruneau. Fumble recoveries by Jonathan Rose and Arnaud Gascon-Nadon. Redblacks defensive backs coach Ike Charlton had his players fired up, that was obvious. And they responded.
It’s not like the Redblacks cut out the mistakes — there were some costly ones, including too many pass drops and an unnecessary roughness penalty to offensive lineman SirVincent Rogers that wiped out a huge reception by Greg Ellingson on a jump ball at the Montreal two-yard line.
The Redblacks got their first big play when Gavins picked off a Darian Durant pass, giving the Redblacks the ball on their own 38. Montreal challenged the play, but the ref ’s call stood.
With 6:40 left in the first quarter, the Redblacks took a 3-0 lead on a 20-yard Brett Maher field goal. Then, Montreal running back Brandon Rutley fumbled, with the ball forced out by Serderius Bryant, and Ottawa started on the Montreal 31. After Diontae Spencer dropped a Trevor Harris throw that was right on the money in the end zone, Ottawa settled for a 38-yard Maher field goal.