The thrill of Fenway Park turned to letdown on a cold night. Boston Red Sox lost 6–2 to the Toronto Blue Jays. Their five-game win run came to an end. The cold held the Sox offense back in its tracks.
Right from the first pitch, the Sox could not hit well. They had scored 36 runs while beating the St. Louis Cardinals, yet that burst did not stick. With runners in scoring position, they got only one hit in ten tries. In the seventh inning, they filled the bases but failed to turn that into runs. Only Triston Casas’s hit in the eighth brought a small spark. Fans missed the strong hits from before.
Pitcher Richard Fitts gave a solid start by going six innings and allowing three runs. His control, however, came off as he walked four and let in ten baserunners. The young pitcher has promise, but he faced tight spots that night and his work was not as neat as his earlier outing.
The game became even tougher when catcher Connor Wong got hurt in the first inning. His injury may force him onto the injured list. Blake Sabol might fill his spot as the team feels more strain from rising injuries.
The defense made its share of mistakes too. Boston committed two errors. These slips added to the challenge of playing in cold weather and under pressure.
Among the rough play, young outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela stood out. He made a strong sliding catch in the first inning. His quick move on defense is a gift to the Sox, even as he works to hit better.
With one game left in their four-game series, the Sox must build on these lessons. Garrett Crochet will start at home against Blue Jays’ pitcher Easton Lucas. There is hope that the team will bring back strong hitting and warm up the chilly night. Fans now wait to see if the squad can spark the fire again at Fenway.