By Canadian Press

Mitch Moreland lifts Red Sox over Blue Jays 10-7 in 10th inning

Aug 7, 2018 | 10:06 PM

TORONTO — A blister issue kept Marcus Stroman from staying in the game on Tuesday, and it likely cost his team a win.

Stroman threw a two-hitter over seven innings of work and allowed no earned runs. He took the mound for the eighth but felt discomfort while warming up and eventually handed the ball over with his team up 3-1.

The lead was quickly surrendered and turned into a 10-7 win for the visiting Boston Red Sox.

“It ripped pretty good and I just wasn’t in a position where I could throw my pitches effectively,” Stroman said. “I tried in the warmups and I couldn’t. It was a close game”

Ryan Tepera would allow four runs in relief including a three-run home run by J.D. Martinez. Although the Blue Jays would come back with two runs of their own to force extra innings, Mitch Moreland would hit a three-run home run off Jays relief pitcher Ken Giles (0-3) in the 10th inning to seal the victory. 

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“I think he’ll be fine, it’s just the way it goes sometimes,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Giles. “He’s here for a reason. Everybody’s not perfect all the time. It’s a great-hitting park and they can all hit home runs.”

The home runs by Martinez and Moreland were part of a four RBI night for both Red Sox (80-34) batters.

“J.D. Martinez is just unreal,” Stroman said. “I mean he’s the hottest hitter I think I’ve ever seen live, so it’s tough to navigate that lineup.”

Devon Travis and Justin Smoak had homers for Toronto (51-61).

Craig Kimbrel (3-1) picked up the win after blowing a save situation with the Red Sox up 5-4 in the ninth.

Boston starter Drew Pomeranz pitched four and two-thirds innings allowing just two runs on four hits. He walked five batters and recorded one strikeout.

Travis opened the scoring for the Blue Jays in the third inning by hitting a two-run home run off Pomeranz.

Boston replied in the fourth inning when Martinez hit an RBI single to cut Toronto’s lead to 2-1.

Toronto restored its two-run lead in the seventh inning when Teoscar Hernandez hit a sac fly to centre to give the Blue Jays a 3-1 advantage.

With Toronto up 2-1 in the sixth inning, the Jays had a chance to open up the game with the bases loaded and nobody out but were unable to cash in any runs.

“That hurts, you know what their offence can do,” Gibbons said. “It’s tough to shut them down for nine innings. There’s a chance to at least add one or two which could make a difference. That inning hurt. Definitely.”

Moreland hit an RBI fielder’s choice to cut Toronto’s lead to 3-2 in the top of the eighth. Martinez followed with a three-run homer to give Boston a 5-3 lead.

Luke Maile hit an RBI double to cut Boston’s lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth and Smoak hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game 5-5.

In the 10th inning, Boston put up five runs on Giles. Moreland hit a three-run home run before Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run shot to knock Giles out of the game.

Kevin Pillar hit a two-run home run to cut Boston’s lead to three.

Smoak extended his hitting streak to 11 games. That tied him with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for team’s longest hitting streak this season.

NOTES: Announced attendance was 31,855. Before the game, the Blue Jays placed infielder Brandon Drury on the 10-day disabled list with a left-hand fracture and the team called up infielder Richard Urena. The Red Sox announced that All-Star pitcher Chris Sale is scheduled to come off the 10-day disabled list and start on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. Sale was placed on the disabled list on last Tuesday (retroactive to July 28) with shoulder inflammation.

David Alter, The Canadian Press