At Least This Was Positive Sign During Red Sox Loss Vs. Blue Jays

The Red Sox were handed one of their more difficult losses of the season Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. But while moral victories don’t impact the American League East standings there is something to be said about their production at the plate.

The Red Sox knocked around Blue Jays ace Hyun Jin Ryu and compiled seven runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. They took a five-run lead after four frames before their eventual 9-8 loss in Toronto.

“Offensively we did a lot of good things,” manager Alex Cora said after the game. “I felt great about the offense today.”

J.D. Martinez led the way as he went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. And Kevin Plawecki was equally impactful as he went 3-for-4 with one walk, three RBIs and one run scored. The Red Sox catcher had three separate RBI hits.

They were among the six batters — Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Bobby Dalbec and Jarren Duran — to record multiple hits. Kiké Hernández also recorded one as the Red Sox finished with 16 hits and two walks.

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“… The good thing is tonight the offense showed up,” pitcher Garrett Richards said after the game. “Guys were raking balls all over the place so that’s a positive.”

It’s especially positive for an offense which had struggled to score runs recently. Boston had not scored more than five runs in its last seven games while scoring two or less in five of them. And some of the players mentioned had been struggling, as well. Bogaerts, specifically, was 4-for-22 in his last seven games. Devers was an identical 4-for-22 in his last six.

It was a good showing until it wasn’t.

Red Sox closer Matt Barnes ultimately allowed a three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning of Sunday’s loss. He took ownership for the defeat himself.

“I’ll just be frank, in a game in which we score eight runs, we got to win that ballgame,” Barnes said after the loss.

The Red Sox will look to keep the lineup rolling, and put it all together, when they return to Fenway Park on Tuesday for their opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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