By Tiffany Williams –
Monday afternoon at TD Ballpark felt like October for a few innings.
The Boston Red Sox pounded out 12 hits, launched three home runs and survived a late scare to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 in spring training action.
Boston struck first in the top of the second when Ferguson doubled to right, Castro scored. In the third, Gasper singled to left, Ward scored. Clean. Simple. Execution.
Then Gasper went nuclear in the fifth. Gasper homered to center (396 feet), Thaiss scored. Two swings earlier in the game, one thunderclap here. He finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a homer, setting the tone for an offense that didn’t blink.
But spring games are chaos by design.
In the bottom of the fifth, Watson hit turbulence. Lukes grounded out to first, Kasevich scored, Goodwin to second, Tirotta to third. Moments later, Barger homered to right (399 feet), Tirotta scored, Goodwin scored and Coffey scored. Just like that, a 4-0 cushion flipped into a 5-4 deficit. One swing. Four runs. Momentum gone.
Boston answered late.
In the top of the eighth, Hickey homered to right (438 feet), White scored. A two-run blast off Harrison that put the Red Sox back in front 7-5. That swing proved decisive.
Toronto made it interesting in the ninth. Mcadoo homered to center (425 feet). One run game. Pressure on.
But Sansone closed it out, earning his second save of the spring despite allowing the solo shot. The Red Sox pitching line: 9.0 innings, 8 hits, 6 runs, 6 earned, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts, 2 homers. Not spotless. Not dominant. But enough.
Oviedo set the early tone with 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out four. Martinez picked up the win after two scoreless frames. Boston struck out 13 at the plate but made its power count. Three homers. Seven runs on 12 hits.
Toronto managed eight hits and two long balls. They drew four walks and kept the pressure on late, but the early deficit and the eighth-inning homer were the difference.
Elsewhere around MLB spring training Monday, the Atlanta Braves beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2. The Pittsburgh Pirates topped the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1. The San Francisco Giants edged the Chicago White Sox 6-5. The Cincinnati Reds routed the Chicago Cubs 17-9. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 7-5. The Texas Rangers defeated the Cleveland Guardians 3-1. The Los Angeles Angels slipped past the Kansas City Royals 5-4. The Oakland Athletics handled the San Diego Padres 7-2. The St. Louis Cardinals edged the Miami Marlins 3-2. The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros finished tied 3-3.
It’s March. It’s spring. But when the bats flip games and late innings swing momentum, it still feels like something bigger.