Red Sox 4-1 Blue Jays (September 23, 2024) Match Report

TORONTO — — Tanner Houck pitched five scoreless innings, Wilyer Abreu reached base three times and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to three games with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.

The Red Sox opened their final road trip – a three-game series in Toronto – by improving to 4-0 in Canada this season.

Boston won its 79th game with 10 walks and five hits. The Red Sox finished 78-84 each of the last two seasons.

“We had to be relentless in the strike zone and we were,” manager Alex Cora said. “The guys did a great job working the counts and getting their walks.”

Abreu walked in the second inning and scored on Vaughn Grissom's sacrifice fly, hit an RBI double in the third inning and hit a single in the fifth inning, joining Jarren Duran as the only Boston players with multiple hits.

Houck (9-10) played a perfect game until the fifth inning before allowing a walk to Addison Barger with two outs. Ernie Clement followed with a single, but the 28-year-old right-hander got Jonatan Clase to fly out. Houck threw just 57 pitches and 36 strikes in his first win since July 11 against Oakland.

“I felt good about everything, was in tune with my body, felt strong,” Houck said. “I just went out there, trusted the defense and blocked the zone all night long. It felt like I had all the shots under control.”

Houck made his 30th start this season, reaching that mark for the first time.

“That’s kind of what you strive for as a starter,” he said.

Leo Jiménez and George Springer hit two consecutive singles against Greg Weissert for Toronto at the start of the sixth inning, but Nathan Lukes made a double play and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was grounded out, ending the danger.

Guerrero went 0-for-4 and his average dropped to .324.

Boston left-hander Zach Penrod got two outs in the seventh inning and right-hander Luis Guerrero pitched 1 1/3 innings before right-hander Chris Martin pitched around Spencer Horwitz's RBI single in the ninth.

Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt (10-14) had a career-high seven walks in 4 1/3 innings, including two runs. The 35-year-old right-hander allowed three runs and four hits in his second straight start against Boston.

Bassitt has won just once in his last eight games, but insisted he wants to make his final start of the year in Game 162 against Miami on Sunday.

“I'm healthy, I'm feeling good, so I'm going to start,” Bassitt said. “I don't think I shouldn't pitch just because it's the last game and we're out. That's kind of, I wouldn't say embarrassing, but it's not fair to the bullpen.”

Toronto lost 38-38 at home in front of 22,254 spectators, the smallest attendance of the season.

TRAINING ROOM

Red Sox: Closer and four-time All-Star Kenley Jansen will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder soreness.

Next

RHP Bowden Francis (8-5, 3.47 ERA) is scheduled to start in the second game of the three-game series against Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (14-8, 4.49) on Tuesday.

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