Ranger Suarez shows no signs of rust as Red Sox topple Blue Jays
Ranger Suarez took the mound for the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon having not appeared in a game since July 5 because of a groin strain.
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The All-Star lefthander showed not a speck of rustiness, throwing four strong innings as the Sox beat the Blue Jays, 6-1, before a sellout crowd of 36,795 at Fenway Park.
Suarez and four relievers allowed nine hits, but the last-place Jays were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and did not score until the ninth inning against rookie Ryan Watson. Greg Weissert (3-2) was the winner.
The 54-50 Sox took two of three in the series ahead of a seven-game road trip to Sacramento and Los Angeles starting on Monday. They have won 17 of 19 and 25 of their last 32 games.
Suarez allowed four hits and struck out six without a walk, dropping his earned run average to 3.02. The Jays were 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position against him.
Toronto righthander Kevin Gausman (4-10) allowed three runs on five hits over six innings. Small ball did him in.
Andruw Monasterio led off the third inning with a single and was bunted to second by Carlos Narváez. With two outs, Ceddanne Rafaela rifled a single down the right field line to drive in a run.
Willson Contreras walked leading off the fourth inning before Caleb Durbin singled. This time it was Romy Gonzalez who got the bunt down.
Jarren Duran followed with a two-run single to center to give the Sox a 3-0 lead.
The Go-Go Sox were at it again in the seventh inning. This time Duran singled and Monasterio walked facing righthander Braydon Fisher before another successful sacrifice by Narváez.
The Jays turned to lefthander Brendon Little, and the Sox countered with pinch hitter Jahmai Jones. He hammered a curveball off the wall in center field to drive in two runs.
Jones then stole third and scored on a double by Wilyer Abreu. Jones is 3 for 8 with two extra-base hits, three runs scored, and four RBIs in six games since being acquired from the Tigers for a player to be named later after he was designated for assignment.
Duran finished 3 for 4. The Sox have not lost consecutive games since June 30-July 1.
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