The Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays, 13-10, Friday night. Talking Points:
STAR OF THE GAME: Justin Smoak
This could have gone to the entire Blue Jays lineup as a unit -- all nine members of which scored in the seventh inning -- but Smoak stood out for a few reasons. He went 3-for-5, was a double shy of the cycle, and drove in three runs. His two-run homer in the seventh followed a bases-clearing three-run triple by Russell Martin and made the score 13-8, sapping whatever small bits of life might have been left in Fenway Park. Plus, his second-inning triple scored Edwin Encarnacion and took Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts out of the game after Betts ran full speed into the bullpen wall in right-center. Bang-up night for Smoak.
HONORABLE MENTION: Blue Jays bullpen
After Drew Hutchinson tried to give the game away early, allowing eight runs in 2.1 innings, his teammates in the bullpen were solid. Bo Schultz, Steve Delabar, Roberto Osuna and Brett Cecil combined to pitch 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs.
GOAT OF THE GAME: Red Sox bullpen
Matt Barnes and Junichi Tazawa were the primary culprits on Friday night, helping to blow an 8-4 lead the Red Sox held going into the seventh inning. Neither recorded an out, and combined they allowed eight runs (seven earned). Barnes entered the game, faced three batters and got the hook. Tazawa entered and allowed three-straight singles and Martin's three-run triple before he was yanked. Tommy Lane promptly came in and allowed Smoak to put one in the Monster seats. Together the Red Sox' reliever trio allowed nine straight to reach and score in the seventh.
Boston Red Sox
TURNING POINT: Top of the seventh inning
Hard to say which was the bigger gut-punch to those in stands at Fenway Park: Martin's three-run triple or Smoak's two-run homer? When Layne finally recorded the first out of the inning ten batters in, a broken, delirious crowd gave its team a hugely sarcastic ovation.
BY THE NUMBERS: 10
Mike Napoli had a chance to potentially, improbably, tie the game with a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning. Instead, he struck out on three pitches, making him 1-for-his-last-20 with 10 strikeouts.