Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez waits as Toronto Blue Jays’ Rowdy Tellez round the bases on a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO (AP) — Rowdy Tellez had two homers and five RBIs and Randal Grichuk also homered and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 10-3 on Tuesday night.
Tellez got the Blue Jays on the board in the fourth inning with his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot off the third-deck façade above right field.
One pitch later, Grichuk clubbed a solo shot over the left-field fence for his eighth of the year to pad Toronto’s lead. It was the second time this year that Toronto has hit back-to-back home runs.
On Tellez’s next time up at the plate one inning later, he drove a towering three-run home run over the right-center-field fence. The three home runs tied a Toronto season high.
Toronto won for just the fifth time against Boston at Rogers Centre since the start of the 2017 season.
After sitting out Monday’s loss in the series opener, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returned to the lineup, going 2 for 5 with a pair of runs. Brandon Drury was 2 for 3 with three RBIs. The 10 runs tied a season high for the Blue Jays.
Mitch Moreland, Rafael Devers and Jackie Bradley Jr. all had solo shots for the Red Sox. But despite scoring 12 runs in Monday’s series opener, Boston’s offense was largely held in check.
Marcus Stroman (2-6) entered the game with just 10 runs of support in 58 innings pitched, the lowest in the big leagues. The Toronto right-hander lasted six innings, giving up one run, five hits and a season-high six walks.
Stroman was pulled after the first two batters reached in the seventh. Reliever Tim Mayza then walked Andrew Benintendi to load the bases, before striking out Mookie Betts and Moreland. Joe Biagini came in and got Xander Bogaerts to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.
Devers opened the eighth with his fifth home run of the year off Biagini, who was replaced one out later by Sam Gaviglio. Despite giving up Bradley’s second home run of the series one batter later, the right-hander stayed in to work the ninth to end the game.
Boston’s loss ended its seven-game winning streak in starts by Eduardo Rodríguez (4-3). The left-hander lasted five innings, allowing six hits and six runs, walking two and striking out five. The three home runs also ended Rodríguez’s career-long five-game streak of not allowing one.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia (left knee) and INF Brock Holt (right knee) both played seven innings for Triple-A Pawtucket. They both went 1 for 5, with Holt adding a run and one RBI. … LHP Brian Johnson made the second start of his rehab assignment for Double-A Portland, giving up three hits and three runs in 1 1/3 innings, while striking out four. … OF JD Martinez sat out Tuesday’s game with illness. Manager Alex Cora said he was available to pinch hit if necessary, but he would likely return to the lineup on Wednesday. … RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right elbow) successfully came through a 35-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday as he continues to work his way back from surgery.
Blue Jays: RHP Ryan Tepera (right elbow) was placed on the 10-day IL and will be meeting with a specialist. RHP Jimmy Cordero, picked up from Washington on waivers at the weekend, was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take his roster spot.
UP NEXT
RHP Rick Porcello (3-4, 4.80), who takes the mound Wednesday for the Red Sox, has struggled in his starts at Rogers Centre, with a 4-7 record and a 5.47 ERA. Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-4, 3.88) has gone 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 20 appearances against Boston.
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