The Toronto Blue Jays got a huge win today against the Boston Red Sox as each team fights for the third Wild Card position. With the win the Blue Jays are now up three games on the Red Sox in the Wild Card. The Blue Jays just came off a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, in which they lost three of four games. To add more salt to injury, going into this first game, the Blue Jays were 0-7 when facing the Red Sox this season. In this game however, the Blue Jays came out swinging right out the gates. Whit Merrifield got the night started on the very first pitch of the game from Red Sox starter James Paxton as he took a fastball over the Green Monster to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead. After a George Springer flyout, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would join Merrifield by hitting his own solo home run over the Monster. 

In the second inning, the Blue Jays would add another run in a special way as Davis Schneider would step up to the plate. Schneider, who MLB ranks as the Blue Jays 28th top prospect, was called up from Triple-A Buffalo today. In his first at-bat in the majors he would see a changeup outside for a ball and fastball down that he fouled off. On the third pitch, a cutter, Schneider would get a hold of it, also driving it over the Green Monster for his first career hit and home run making 3-0. In the bottom of the inning, the Red Sox would cut the lead to one scoring two runs in the inning.

George Springer would give the Blue Jays an insurance run in the top of the fourth making it 4-2. The home run fest would continue for the Blue Jays in the sixth inning as Daulton Varsho would lead off the inning with a solo shot to right field. After a George Springer walk, one batter later on in the inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would hit a double that would score Springer making it 6-2. The final run and fifth home run of the night would go to Matt Chapman as he smacked one 394 feet to center field in the ninth inning.

Pitching wise for the Jays, Alek Manoah had himself a quality start going 6.2 innings pitched, giving up 3 earned runs, off of 6 hits, 2 of them home runs and throwing 5 strikeouts. Tim Mayza would come in to pitch an inning with no hits and new Blue Jays reliever Jordan Hicks, traded from the St. Louis Cardinals, got himself a 4-out save also with no hits.

There are still two games left in this series so the Blue Jays must win at least one game to keep the Red Sox back. For tomorrow’s game, José Berríos will get the start while Chris Bassitt will get the start for Sunday’s game. Berríos is 8-7 with a 3.31 ERA on the season, while Bassitt is 10-6 with a 4.00 ERA.