X factors in at end
Bogey lifts Sox in 11th
TORONTO — Xander Bogaerts was supposed to be resting yesterday.
He had started in every game since April 21, logging 6642⁄ innings 3 in the field this season, more than all but four major league shortstops.
The Red Sox tried keeping him on the bench last night, hoping to let his legs recoup. In the end, he only got about four hours of rest. And then manager John Farrell could wait no longer.
Bogaerts came on as a defensive sub in the 10th inning, then knocked in the go-ahead run on an RBI single in his only plate appearance to send the Red Sox to bed just before midnight with a 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in 11 innings.
“We’re trying to do everything to give him the full day down, but we had to tap into everybody,” Farrell said. “He put a great swing on a pitch to push one through the right side for another RBI.”
Bogaerts said he planned to relax all day. He even avoided taking batting practice to give his body ample time to rest. But when the game was deep into its fifth hour, he figured he’d be needed.
“Who would have thought the game would end like this?” said Bogaerts, who now is hitting .314. “It was good, I didn’t do anything, no BP, nothing. I didn’t even go out. Just trying to get my body fresh and look forward to tomorrow. My manager needed me and he put me in there and I’m glad I did my part to help us win.”
Farrell waited patiently to use him.
It was the 10th inning, after Tzu-Wei Lin had gone 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout while standing in for Bogaerts. With Toronto lefty Aaron Loup on the mound, Chris Young pinch-hit for Lin and drew a walk.
A good first move, but the Jays eventually won this chess match.
Deven Marrero grounded out to move Young to second, then the Jays happily walked Mookie Betts to face the left-handed hitting Andrew Benintendi. The rookie has not hit lefties well (.256 average, .623 OPS), but Farrell let his swing, rather than mess with the young player’s confidence. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before Benintendi struck out.
The Jays intentionally walked Dustin Pedroia to get to another left-handed hitter in Mitch Moreland. Even with Bogaerts and Sam Travis on the bench, Farrell stayed with Moreland without the platoon advantage and the first baseman grounded out, completing his 0-for-6 night while leaving 11 runners on base.
In the 11th, Hanley Ramirez doubled, Jackie Bradley Jr. singled and, after Christian Vazquez flew out, Bogaerts delivered.
“Anytime you win, it doesn’t matter how long it takes,” Farrell said of the game, which lasted 4 hours, 44 minutes. “That was a hard-fought game.”
The Sox fell behind, 3-0, in the first inning, then rallied to jump ahead in the sixth before the Jays tied it again in the bottom of the inning.
Red Sox starter Doug Fister allowed only four hits, but one was a three-run homer by Justin Smoak in the first inning to put the Red Sox in an early hole. It was his 22nd round-tripper.
The Red Sox came back to take a 4-3 lead into the sixth, but Heath Hembree threw a 95mph heater up and away to Troy Tulowitzki, who lifted it over the left-field wall to the tie the game.
Matt Barnes threw two scoreless innings to handle the seventh and eighth.
With Joe Kelly likely unavailable after throwing 27 pitches just 24 hours earlier, Farrell turned to Blaine Boyer to handle the bottom of the ninth and the journeyman came through.
“Two big innings by Blaine Boyer,” Farrell said.
Craig Kimbrel came in to shut the door after the Red Sox scored three in the top of the 11th.
The first-place Sox improved to 45-35 and now have 19 comefrom-behind victories.