Red Sox 3, Blue Jays 6

BOS: 010 100 100 - 3 11 1
TOR: 001 050 00X - 6 10 0

W: Janssen (1-1)
L: Wakefield (6-3)
SV: Downs (6)

The Jays end their nine-game losing streak at the expense of the Red Sox. Funny how their losing streak started with Tim Wakefield pitching for the other team and ended with Wakefield. Wake was okay through the first four innings, although he had to deal with a lot of baserunners, including a bases loaded jam in the first. Toronto jumped all over him in the 5th as his knuckleball stayed up, scoring 5 runs and knocking him out of the game.

I put this one under the category of: It happens. That's just Wake and his knuckleball. He's on, stays on then all of a sudden loses it. Most times when he loses it he doesn't survive and is knocked out of the game but other times he'll give up 3 runs in an inning then settle back down and dominate.

What bothered me tonight: It was one of those games where the Red Sox had 11 hits but only scored 3 runs. Toronto scores double the runs on one less hit. Boston just couldn't put them together.

The game wasn't all lost. Daniel Bard pitched in relief of Wakefield and absolutely dominated. He was overpowering. He was baffling. He pitched. 2 1/3 innings, no hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. Those 5 K's all came in a row, to the final five he faced. Three of the strike threes came on fastballs, two on breaking balls. He impressed once again.

The Jays 5th...

Rios HBP.
Wells FC to third (Rios out at second), stole second.
Lind 4-3, Wells to third.
Rolen doubled to left. Wells scored, 2-2.
Millar walked.
Overbay doubled to right. Rolen scored, Millar to third. 3-2.
Barajas singled to left. Millar and Overbay scored. 5-2.
Scutaro doubled deep to center. Barajas chug chug chuged home. 6-2.

Bard replaced Wakefield and got Hill to fly out to right.

Barajas looked like he would be gunned down at home because he was slowing down and running out of steam rounding third. He slid home head-first in plenty of time and stayed down for a few seconds, catching his breath. He looked like he just shut down after he slid in, then got up and walked back, huffing and puffing all the way to the dugout.

The Red Sox's scored one run in the second, fourth and seventh innings. Ellsbury doubled home Lowell in the 2nd and singled home Kottaras in the 4th. Drew hit a 7th inning dong to dead center.

***

With the loss we're tied with New York again, but they lead Cleveland 3-0 in the 5th inning in Spiderland. A Yankee win would put them a half-game up. The Jays sit one game back now.