Red Sox add to Jays’ woes
BOSTON 8 TORONTO 3
BOSTON — Andrew Benintendi has continued the hot hitting out of the leadoff spot for injured star Mookie Betts.
Benintendi hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run fourth inning, J.D. Martinez added a solo homer, and the Boston Red Sox coasted to an 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
With regular leadoff hitter Betts missing his second straight game because of tightness on his left side that he felt in batting practice Sunday, Benintendi added a triple and single, improving to 4-for-8 in the two days.
“I’m seeing it pretty well right now,” Benintendi said in his usually quiet voice.
Reminded that it was his first career homer over the Green Monster, the 23-year-old said: “I’ve hit a few over there in BP, but not in a game.”
Betts entered the day with a major-league-leading .359 batting average.
Jackie Bradley Jr. added an RBI double, scored twice and made a spectacular catch in centre field as Boston won for the seventh time in nine games.
It was the Blue Jays’ 11th loss in 15 games, dropping them to 2-5 against the Red Sox this season. Teoscar Hernandez had an RBI triple and double for Toronto.
David Price (5-4) laboured through five innings, allowing two runs and four hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
The lefty took a hard grounder from Yangervis Solarte that bounced off his glove and appeared to carom off his chest in the first inning before picking it up and throwing him out.
“You know me, I’m the softest guy in this clubhouse,” Price said, joking. “If that had bothered me, I was coming out of the game.”
The Red Sox took charge with their big fourth inning, pulling ahead 6-1 against Aaron Sanchez (2-5).
Brock Holt had a sacrifice fly and Bradley his run-scoring double before Benintendi lofted a fly ball into the first row of Monster seats.
“They get a couple singles in that inning, a bloop, and then a blast,” Sanchez said.
Martinez then led off the fifth with his 17th homer, a drive that completely left Fenway Park over the Monster, tying him with Betts for the team lead.
“They’ve got a tough lineup, they always have,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “It’s tough to shut ’em down.”
Sanchez was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in five innings, falling to 0-3 in his past five starts with a 5.96 ERA.
Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson left the game with left calf tightness after getting a single and walking twice.
Mariners 2, Rangers 1
SEATTLE — Marco Gonzales pitched into the seventh inning and did not allow an earned run for a third consecutive start, helping the Seattle Mariners top the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Monday.
Seattle won for the ninth time in 10 games and reached 13 games above .500 for the first time since late in the 2014 season. And it was once again a one-run win. The Mariners have been held to three runs or less in seven of the past eight games, but are 7-1 in those games thanks largely to their pitching.
Seattle has 16 one-run wins, best in the majors.
Gonzales (5-3) lasted 62⁄ innings 3 and has not allowed an earned run since May 12 when he gave up four runs in a loss to Detroit. His only issue against Texas was walks. Gonzales walked four, including Ryan Rua with two outs in the seventh inning to conclude his day.
James Pazos got the final out of the seventh, before letting the duo of Alex Colome and Edwin Diaz work together for the first time. Colome, an all-star closer acquired from Tampa Bay late last week, struck out a pair sandwiched around a two-out hit to finish the eighth inning, and Diaz pitched the ninth for his 19th save.
The only run for Texas came in the third inning when Rougned Odor reached on a bunt single and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Texas starter Doug Fister (1-5) cruised through the first five innings, the only hit allowed a single by Andrew Romine in the third. It was a defensive miscue that created the opportunity for Seattle to take the lead.