No Sale: Red Sox blow ace’s 15-strikeout gem
Catcher’s two homers lift Blue Jays in 12
TORONTO — Luke Maile made up for “the dumbest play” of his career with the biggest home run he’s ever hit.
Maile hit two homers, including a two-run shot in the 12th inning that gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
Maile’s drive off Boston’s Brian Johnson (1-2) improved the Blue
Jays to 5-0 in extra innings after they overcame a superb outing by Red Sox starter Chris Sale.
Sale matched his career high by striking out 15 over a season-high nine innings. The left-hander allowed three runs on six hits and no walks.
Curtis Granderson walked to begin the 12th, and Maile followed with a drive to right.
Maile also hit a game-tying homer off Sale in the seventh and finished 3-for-5 with three RBIS.
Maile, who came in without a home run since May 31, 2017, redeemed himself for a throwing error that led to the Red Sox taking a 3-2 lead in the fourth.
Brock Holt reached on a two-out fielder’s choice and scored from first after Maile couldn’t hold a third strike against Sandy Leon and then threw high to first.
“That was the dumbest play of my entire career,” Maile said.
Maile told right-hander Aaron Sanchez he’d do what he could to take his pitcher off the hook after the errant throw.
Maile tied the game in the seventh, snapping a streak of 15 consecutive outs by Sale with his first homer of the season.
“He left it out over the plate just a little bit for me,” Maile said. “He threw a couple of sliders tonight that were just crazy.”
Sale is the third pitcher in Red Sox history to strike out 15 while walking none. Pedro Martinez had four such games, and Roger Clemens had three.
Sale struck out six straight batters over the fourth and fifth innings, getting all six swinging.
Recalled from Triple-a Buffalo earlier Friday, right-hander Sam Gaviglio (1-0) pitched three innings for the win in his Blue Jays debut.