BOSTON -- Just when it seemed the Red Sox were about to bring some joy back to Fenway Park with the type of late-inning comeback that has seldom been seen this season, it got away from them late, thanks in part to a swirling wind.
In the end, it was another day of frustration for the reeling Sox, who dropped the finale to the Blue Jays, 4-3, on Thursday afternoon. It was the second time Boston was swept by a division rival (Tampa Bay) since the start of last week.
This one had twists and turns that made you think it might end differently.
Stifled by Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage to the tune of two hits and one run over seven innings, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Caleb Durbin finally got to him when they hammered back-to-back homers over the Green Monster in the eighth to tie it up and create an eruption from the crowd of 32,027.
It was Kiner-Falefa’s second homer of the season, and No. 4 for Durbin, who snapped an 0-for-16 drought with his equalizing shot.
But it was short-lived. With two outs in the ninth and the dominant Aroldis Chapman on the hill, Brandon Valenzuela hit what looked like an inning-ending popup in foul territory to catcher Connor Wong.
However, the wind had other ideas, and Wong couldn’t grab it. Valenzuela then hit a high fly ball that was also carried by the wind, and this one went off the left-field wall for a go-ahead double.
Outside of back-to-back homers allowed in the eighth, Yesavage mowed through Boston’s bats, retiring the first nine he faced and had a one-hit shutout through six. The only other run was a Willson Contreras groundout in the seventh.
Sonny Gray turned in a strong start for the Red Sox, buying the slumping offense some time to battle back into the game with seven strong frames. The 36-year-old righty allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four.