Red Sox at Blue Jays
After taking turns beating up on each other to open their four-game series, the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays provided quite a bit of drama on Wednesday, even trading 12th-inning home runs in what turned out to be a 4 1/2-hour marathon. The reigning World Series champion Red Sox finally prevailed and will look to clinch a series win Thursday afternoon in Toronto.
Rookie Michael Chavis belted a solo homer in the 13th inning -- his third in four games and 10th in 30 contests since he was promoted from the minors -- to lift Boston to a 6-5 victory. Red-hot Rafael Devers went deep for the third straight game and Mookie Betts clubbed a solo shot for the Red Sox, who won for the 15th time in their past 21 games. Rowdy Tellez, who homered twice in Toronto's 10-3 romp on Tuesday, hit a dramatic two-out shot in the bottom of the 12th while Danny Jansen delivered a tying pinch-hit single in the bottom of the ninth. Rookie sensation Vladimir Guerrero Jr. belted his first home run at Rogers Centre to extend his hitting streak to five games, including multiple hits in three straight.
TV: 12:37 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Ryan Weber (0-0, 1.13 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Clayton Richard (NR)
Weber has made three relief appearances since he was promoted from Triple-A Pawtucket on May 6 and allowed one run -- that coming in a three-inning stint in which he permitted four hits versus Houston on Saturday. Playing with his fourth team in as many seasons, he tossed four scoreless innings at Baltimore in his season debut and one scoreless frame against Seattle on May 10. Weber has made eight career starts in the majors and the last one came at Toronto in May 2007, when he allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings.
Shut down at the end of March due to a stress reaction in his right knee, Richard was impressive in a rehab start Saturday at Triple-A Buffalo, not allowing a hit over his 3 1/3 innings while striking out four and throwing 48 pitches. Having spent nearly his entire career in the National League, the 35-year-old made 59 starts over the past two seasons with the San Diego Padres, compiling a 7-11 record and 5.33 ERA in 2018. J.D. Martinez, who has yet to play in the series, is 5-for-11 lifetime versus Richard.
WALK-OFFS
1. Devers has six homers, 19 RBIs and 10 multi-hit games this month.
2. Guerrero has five home runs and 10 RBIs in his last eight games.
3. Red Sox DH Martinez is dealing with a sore back in addition to an illness and may also sit out Thursday.