TORONTO (AP) — George Springer hit a two-run homer to force extra innings, Raimel Taipa hit a game-ending sacrifice fly in the 10th, and the Toronto Blue Jays handed the slumping Boston Red Sox their fourth straight loss, 6-5 on Tuesday night.
Matt Barnes (0-1) intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to begin the bottom of the 10th, and Alejandro Kirk walked to load the bases. Matt Chapman struck out looking before left-hander Matt Strahm replaced Barnes. Tapia hit a flyball to left on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, scoring automatic runner Bo Bichette.
Toronto trailed 5-2 in the ninth before Tapia and Santaigo Espinal opened the inning with back-to-back doubles off Jake Diekman.
Diekman struck out pinch-hitter Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and fanned Bradley Zimmer, but left after giving up Springer’s fourth home run this season.
Automatic runner Trevor Story advanced from second to third on Alex Verdugo’s groundout to begin the 10th. Xander Bogaerts followed with a line drive that struck Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (1-1), but the right-hander looked Story back to third before getting the out at first. Romano escaped the jam by striking out J.D. Martinez.
The Red Sox overturned a 2-1 deficit against right-hander Yimi Garcia in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Rafael Devers led off with a single and advanced on a base hit by Christian Vázquez. Trevor Story tied it with an RBI double, and Verdugo put Boston in front with a sacrifice fly.
Bogaerts chased Garcia with an RBI double before Kiké Hernández made it 5-2 with an infield single off David Phelps.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Devers was held out of the starting lineup after starting the first 17 games of the season.
Blue Jays: OF Teoscar Hernández (strained left oblique) fielded balls and took batting practice before the game. Hernández has missed the past 12 games.
UP NEXT
Red Sox RHP Michael Wacha (1-0, 1.88 ERA) starts Wednesday against Blue Jays RHP Ross Stripling (0-0, 4.50). Stripling went 0-2 with a 14.90 ERA in three starts against the Red Sox last season.
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