The Blue Jays had a chance to take over first in the American League East last night but the Boston Red Sox got a power boost to hold onto their spot. Now the Jays and Sox play the rubber game of their three-game set.
Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays
Thursday, 20 May 2021, 7:37 PM EDT at TD Ballpark
The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays clashed in Dunedin, Florida with first place in the American League East at stake. The Sox were clinging to a half-game lead over the Jays, after Toronto won the opening game of the three-game midweek series.
Boston got five runs in the first inning and hit our home runs to even the series and hold on to the top spot in the East. Now a game and a half back, the Blue Jays will look to get a win in the rubber game of the series before Tampa comes to town.
Still on Top
The win kept Boston in first place in the American League East for the 40th day in a row. The Sox have been streaky in May and hope that snapping a two-game skid means a hot streak is coming. Boston lost won straight over Detroit and Baltimore. A loss in the series finale against the Orioles started a three-game slump, followed by a three game winning streak before losing the last two. Boston was swept by the Orioles in the season’s first three games but hasn’t lost a series to an AL East rival since, making Thursday’s rubber game against the Jays an important one.
“It’s important to win the series, and we have a chance to win it,” manager Alex Cora said. “Not too many people thought we would be in first place for X amount of days during the season. That’s for other people to think about. Our thoughts are to give ourselves a chance to win the series. Now we do.” Holding onto first place was also important to a Boston team not expected to contend heading into this season.
The Sox came out on a mission, getting hits from their first five batters, the first time since 2005 Boston has started a game that way. Cora, the current manager started that game at third base 16 years ago. The Red Sox send right hander Nick Pivetta to the mound. Pivetta has been a surprising ace for the Bo Sox this season, going 5-0 with a 3.16 ERA. Batters are hitting .189 against him this year, and he’s only allowed more than two earned runs in two of his eight starts.
Hot Blue Jays
The Blue Jays will be changing homes soon. Transplanted from Canada due to COVID restrictions, Toronto has called it’s Dunedin spring training site home for the first two months of the season. The Jays will head most of the way back north, playing home games in Buffalo starting in June. Toronto hopes to be in first place by the time the move takes place. Heading into Wednesday’s loss, the Jays had won three straight and six of seven, winning series against Atlanta and Philadelphia. Toronto can still make it three series in a row with a win over Boston on Thursday to take two of three.
Toronto may have to do it without Rowdy Tellez, who suffered an injury Sunday and has missed three straight games. He’s day to day, but if he can’t go soon, the team might send him to the injury list. The Blue Jays send Steven Matz to the mound to try to win the series clincher. Matz is 5-2 this year with a 4.29 ERA. He’s been streaky this year, starting the year strong with just three runs allowed in his first three starts. He then fell on hard times, getting touched for 17 runs in his next four outings. Last time out, against the Phillies, he went five scoreless innings, his first time not allowing a run this season.
The Pick
The Red Sox just keep winning and are doing better on the road (13-6) that at home (13-12). Boston has also been strong against good teams, going 10-6 against teams with a winning record. Pivetta is the pitcher that gives the Sox the best chance of winning, right now. Look for Boston to take the series and put some distance between itself and Toronto.
MLB Pick: Red Sox (-156) with BetOnline
