Blue Jays bullpen locks down series win at Fenway, Yankees up next

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Following back-to-back blowouts with the Blue Jays and Red Sox exchanging lopsided outcomes, Sunday’s series rubber match at Fenway Park was close and competitive with the normal quirkiness inherent to the historic venue on full display.

The Jays jumped out early with the long ball before the Red Sox drew even 2-2. Toronto regained the advantage for good in the fourth inning when the bottom of the order produced a pair of runs, setting the stage for an ending that highlighted the Jays’ bullpen, capped off by closer Jeff Hoffman putting the final touches on a 5-3 Blue Jays win.

The Jays never trailed, though at no time did this game ever seem secure, which is par for the course at Fenway. But in a park in which no lead is ever safe, the Jays bullpen made sure this one was, as four relievers provided the visitors with 4.2 innings of one-hit ball to improve to 45-38 and remain three games behind the AL East-lead New York Yankees, who move into the Rogers Centre on Monday to start what looms as the hitherto series of the year.

The following are three takeaways from a win that was accomplished with just six hits and gave the Blue Jays a 4-2 record on their two-stop road trip.

1. Foibles of Fenway

Virtually anything is possible when venturing into Fenway, with its iconic Green Monster in left field and the Pesky’s Pole in right.

One day after scoring just one run in a lopsided loss to the Bosox, the Jays turned on two pitches in their first at-bats to produce two runs.

Addison Barger went deep into right field off Boston starter Walker Buehler, who had just struck out leadoff hitter Bo Bichette. Then, one pitch after yielding Barger’s bomb, Buehler saw Vladimir Guerrero Jr. go deep by crushing a ball into the Monster seats.

Barger’s blast was his ninth of the season, Guerrero’s his 12th to give him the club lead.

Speaking of the Pesky’s Pole, Carlos Narvaez, who bats right-handed, sliced a ball for a home run off Jays starter Eric Lauer to lead off the second — the poke travelling a mere 337 feet.

2. Zero-sum game

A battle of jersey No. 0’s played out pitting Buehler and Andres Gimenez, the featured player Monday against the Yankees when his replica jersey will be given away to fans at the Rogers Centre.

In the top of the fourth, Gimenez drove in a run as the Jays regained the lead, 3-2, then promptly stole his club-leading 10th base of the season.

The Jays would plate two runs in the inning, both with two outs. The inning ncluded three walks and ended when Tyler Heineman, who had just forced home the fourth Toronto run following a free pass, was picked off at first base with Bichette at the plate.

3. Lauding Lauer

Entering the day, the Jays had won their past four games when Lauer pitched, a stretch of 17.0 innings featuring the left-hander surrendering a combined four runs.

His spot in the starting rotation has pretty much been cemented, but any lingering questions, if any are necessary, should be resolved as the all-star break approaches.

Perhaps Lauer can’t go that deep into games, but his track record speaks for itself.

When he began the fifth inning Sunday, he was pitching with a 5-2 advantage. After recording his fourth strikeout on the afternoon, Lauer gave up back-to-back doubles and was relieved by Yariel Rodriguez, who recorded the final two outs and was credited with the win.

Up next

Toronto fans will get their second live look at RHP Max Scherzer, the veteran who will face the Bronx Bombers in Monday’s 7:07 p.m. first pitch. Scherzer’s long road back from a thumb injury sustained in his Blue Jays debut at the Rogers Centre back in late March featured 5.0 mostly solid innings in Cleveland this past Wednesday, on outing when he gave up six hits and three runs, while walking three and recording four strikeouts … Monday’s meeting with the Yankees is the first of a seven-game homestand for the Jays, who will not be back home until after the all-star break.