BOSTON – Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon against the Red Sox but the bid was broken up by a home run by Boston left-fielder Chris Young.
With one out in the inning, Young smacked a first-pitch offering — an 88 mph cutter — over the Green Monster in left centre left field.
But Estrada was magnificent on a cool, dreary afternoon at Fenway Park, guiding the Jays to a 5-4 victory over Boston, owners of the American League’s most explosive offence. The Jays barely hung on for the win.
Estrada was pulled after giving up a lead off double to left by Dustin Pedroia in the ninth inning and was replaced by closer Roberto Osuna. Blue Jays fans cheered as he walked towards the dugout, though, not surprising, he was booed by the Fenway faithful. Osuna got short stop Xander Bogaerts to pop up to second but then allowed a double to right by David Ortiz. He then struck out Travis Shaw, gave up a double of the wall in centre to Hanley Ramirez, which scored Ortiz. Jackie Bradley Jr. then hit a single to right, scoring Ramirez, making the score 5-4. Osuna then coughed up a single to Chris Young, bringing up pinch hitter Marco Hernandez. On a 3-2 pitch, Osuna ended the game and saving the win by striking Hernandez out.
The only Blue Jay ever to record a no-hitter was Dave Stieb on Sept. 2, 1990 against the Indians in Cleveland.
Last June, Estrada carried no-hitters into the eighth inning in back-to-back games, at home against Baltimore and in Tampa. Jimmy Paredes, who played seven games with the Jays this season, broke up the first one with none out; Logan Forsythe broke up the second with one out.
Estrada actually started the game on a shaky note. The veteran right-hander got out of a huge jam in first inning. He walked Mookie Betts and Pedroia to lead off — the first time he has walked the first two batters of a game — but a bunt by Xander Bogaerts came right back to Estrada, who threw out the lead runner at third base. Estrada then got David Ortiz to line out to centre and struck out Travis Shaw.
Toronto’s win was powered by home runs by Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Darwin Barney and Russell Martin, all over the Green Monster in left field. All of five runs scored on the long balls.
Bautista led off the game against Boston starter Eduardo Rodriquez with his home run. The ball hit the top of the Green Monster and bounced back on to the field, but the hit was ruled a homer, his 12th of the season and second lead-off home run. Bautista has reached base safely in 23 straight games at Fenway Park.
The hot-hitting Barney slapped a home run just over the Green Monster in the third inning to give Toronto a 2-0 lead. Three batters later, Encarnacion drove a 3-1 pitch out with Josh Donaldson already on base. Encarnacion has 12 homers and it was the fifth multi-home-run inning for the Jays this season.
Martin hit his in the sixth, another line drive.
Infielder Matt Dominguez, recalled from their Triple-A Buffalo, started the game at third base. Josh Donaldson served as the DH because of a jammed thumb. Right-handed reliever Ryan Tepera was optioned to the Bisons.
Estrada has now posted eight consecutive starts allowing five or fewer hits, something he did last season as well. Estrada gave up two hits in eight innings, with two runs, one a homerun, three walks, five strikeouts, and one wild pitch.