GAUSMAN TOSSES A GEM AS JAYS TAKE SOX SERIES
Right-hander became the first MLB starter this season to pitch into the ninth inning
As a veteran of the American League East and thus a frequent visitor to Fenway Park, Kevin Gausman appreciates the nuances of the historic and beloved stadium.
And he also knows the surest signal of all that a starting pitcher has had a good outing comes late in the ball game when the sounds of Neil Diamond cascade over the yard.
“I was joking with the guys that if you're still in the game and they're singing Sweet Caroline in the eighth inning, you've done something right,” the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander said following an afternoon of brilliance. “It's funny, that's what I remember the last time I pitched really well here, being out there while they sing that song,
“It's just such a special place . ... Obviously, the history. Fenway is just in its own category.”
Gausman was in his own elite domain in the Jays' 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox, going eight innings while allowing a single run.
So efficient was he that he had a chance to deliver the Jays' first nine-inning complete game since April 23, 2017, because, yes, when the Fenway singalong began in the middle of the eighth, he was still in the game.
But after Gausman allowed a leadoff single to Trevor Story to begin the ninth, Jays manager Charlie Montoyo leaped out of the visitors dugout and summoned Jordan Romano to close it down.
The birthday boy from Markham, Ont., did just that, but not before allowing a couple of Red Sox runs across to propel the Boston faithful into full frenzy and then locking in to secure his Major League Baseball-leading seventh save.
Good thing he did, as Gausman became the first starter to pitch into the ninth inning this MLB season and provided a rather emphatic early season validation of the five-year, Us$110-million deal he signed as a free agent in December.
“He was awesome. That's an ace for you,” Montoyo said. “Against a good-hitting lineup, that (splitter) was nasty, locating all his pitches, throwing strikes. We needed a start like that and he gave it to us.”
The win allowed the Jays to take 2-of-3 against the Red Sox and Montoyo's 8-5 club has yet to drop a series this season (3-0-1).
Gausman said he was understanding of his manager's decision to bring in Romano.
“I've got the best closer in baseball waiting out there,” Montoyo said. “It's not fair for me to bring Romano in with two out in Boston.”
With his teammates playing great defence, Gausman — brought in ostensibly to replace 2021 Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray who signed with Seattle — had thrown just 72 pitches through seven comfortable innings.
“In my mind, that was my game, so I was going out there in the ninth to get the three outs,” said Gausman, whose lone complete game in the majors came back in 2014.
“That was my goal. Obviously, it was a good first pitch hit by Story and he hit it the other way. That could easily have been a ground ball to shortstop and I'm still in the game.
“I would have loved to stay, but at the same time if we're up 5-0, I think I'm probably staying in that game. Being that it's three runs ... listen, in the AL East, three runs can be cut in half really quickly.”
As Romano and the nervous Jays dugout soon would learn. A walk to Rafael Devers was followed by a Xander Bogaerts double to score Story. Then, an Alex Verdugo groundout brought home Devers and suddenly the tying run was at third before 35,792 in attendance.
“Playing here is never easy to win,” said Romano, who celebrated his 29th birthday and has now converted 30 consecutive save opportunities, a club record. “Maybe there was some extra adrenalin. I didn't pitch my best, but I just kind of went out there and got the job done and we ended up with the win.”
The win, combined with a Yankees loss in Detroit, re-established the Jays' sole possession of first in the AL East as they chartered off to Houston for a three-game weekend series against the Astros.