Alex Verdugo’s big night leads Boston Red Sox to dramatic 6-5 win over Blue Jays in extras; Matt Strahm gets final 6 outs

TORONTO — For the Red Sox, it was almost déjà vu all over again Wednesday night in Toronto. Alex Verdugo had other thoughts.

Verdugo hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth and added a two-run double in the 10th inning as the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays, 6-5, in extra innings and avoided a three-game sweep. Boston almost squandered a three-run lead in the 10th — Toronto scored twice — but Matt Strahm got George Springer to pop out with two runners in scoring position to end the game.

Boston’s Tanner Houck-less bullpen couldn’t hold on to a late one-run lead for the second straight night but the Sox still eeked out a win and improved to 43-33 thanks to a three-run 10th inning on a wacky night that included a benches-clearing altercation and both big swings and bullpen meltdowns by both teams.

After Verdugo’s go-ahead homer off Jays starter Alek Manoah in the sixth, Toronto came back and tied the game when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Raimel Tapia hit back-to-back doubles in off Ryan Brasier in the eighth. Both teams had chances to score in the ninth but failed to scratch across runs. Toronto reliever David Phelps issued back-to-back walks to start the 10th before Tim Mayza hit J.D. Martinez with a pitch and forced in the go-ahead run. With two outs, Verdugo lined a two-run double into left field to give the Sox a three-run lead.

Strahm, who wasn’t used in Tuesday’s disastrous loss, got the win, striking out three while allowing two runs in two inning. With the win, the Red Sox overtook the Jays in the standings and now hold second place in the AL East by a half-game.

Toronto opened the scoring in the second when former Red Sox farmhand Santiago Espinal drove in Alejandro Kirk with an RBI single. In the third, after Franchy Cordero bunted for a base hit, a Rob Refsnyder sacrifice fly tied the game, 1-1.

Tensions between the division rivals then came to a head in the fourth, when Pivetta hitting Kirk with a first-pitch fastball led to a benches-clearing altercation. After Kirk took the 94 mph pitch off the forearm, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. emerged from Toronto’s dugout to question Pivetta’s intent and Pivetta snapped back at him. Rafael Devers walked toward Toronto’s side of the field and both dugouts (and bullpens emptied), though there wasn’t much in the way of pushing and shoving.

The third-inning kerfuffle led to drama later in the game. After George Springer put Toronto up, 2-1, with a solo shot off Pivetta in the fifth, Verdugo blasted a two-run homer to give the Red Sox the lead in the sixth. Verdugo, ever the showman, took his time rounding the bases and even stared into the Jays’ dugout as he rounded third base.

Pivetta tossed 6+ innings, allowing two runs on five hits while recording five strikeouts. Manoah lasted seven frames, striking out six while allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits.

Rare trip to Wrigley up next

The Red Sox are off Thursday before starting their first series at Wrigley Field in 10 years on Friday afternoon. Here’s how they’ll match up with the Cubs:

Friday, 2:20 p.m. ET — LHP Rich Hill (4-4, 4.09 ERA) vs. TBA

Saturday, 7:15 p.m. ET — RHP Josh Winckowski (3-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. TBA

Sunday, 2:20 p.m. ET — TBD (likely RHP Connor Seabold) vs. TBA

Related links:

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Red Sox, Blue Jays benches clear after Nick Pivetta hits Alejandro Kirk, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. takes issue

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