Biagini knocked out in finale
BOSTON— Joe Biagini was looking for consistency after his best start of the season — seven shutout innings in a 1-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
The fill-in starter who hopes to become a permanent part of the Blue Jays’ rotation is nearing the end of an up-and-down campaign, and hoping to finish on a high.
Wednesday night’s performance wasn’t a step in that direction.
The 27-year-old right-hander allowed five runs in 3 1/3 innings and the Jays went on to lose 6-1to the Red Sox in the rainy finale of a threegame series at Fenway Park.
Boston’s offence knocked out Biagini with a four-run fourth inning.
“I felt like I could have done a better job of that,” Biagini said. “After a while, it gets kind of old saying that, and that just adds to the frustration of it, because I feel like my stuff can translate. I feel like I have made some good pitches, but it just wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked.”
The series opened with promise for the Jays — a 10-4 blowout win for the visitors — before Wednesday night’s six-hour, 19-inning marathon, a 3-2 loss after closer Roberto Osuna squandered a 2-0 lead in the ninth.
The American League East-leading Red Sox are 4-12 against their division rivals this season. Boston made just two lineup changes from the long night before, while the Jays made five. Jose Bautista and Kevin Pillar, who played all 19 innings, plus Josh Donaldson, ejected for arguing a strike call in the 18th, took Wednesday night off.
The Jays scored their lone run in the first inning. They loaded the bases off Red Sox starter Doug Fister on Ezequiel Carrera’s single, Justin Smoak’s double and a walk to Michael Saunders, with Carrera scoring on another walk to Miguel Montero.
The rain that had threatened all day began in that fourth inning that proved to be Biagini’s undoing. He walked Mitch Moreland before Xander Bogaerts tripled to give Boston a 2-1advantage. A single by Rafael Devers brought Bogaerts home from third. Jackie Bradley Jr.’s two-run homer capped the inning.
Biagini left with two runners aboard, handing off to reliever Tim Mayza, who got Dustin Pedroia to ground into an inning-ending double play. Carlos Ramirez followed with two shutout innings and still has yet to allow an earned run this season, major leagues and minors combined.
The Jays have Thursday off before hosting the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series at the Rogers Centre. The club had yet to determine whether Marcus Stroman — who took a 108-m.p.h. line drive off his pitching elbow last Saturday in Baltimore — will be available for Friday’s start. Acting manager DeMarlo Hale said Stroman would be re-evaluated on Thursday. “If he feels good, he’ll start,” Hale said. “Tomorrow will be a big day when he comes in and gets more treatment and (does) a little throwing.”
September call-ups Luis Santos and Chris Rowley are both options. The Jays could also move Saturday starter Brett Anderson up a day.