Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays Match Player Stats On Aug 07, 2021

Marcus Semien homered to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the host Toronto Blue Jays to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Semien hit the first pitch from Matt Barnes (5-3) over the wall in left field for his 26th homer of the season. Toronto has won the first two contests of the four-game series.

Jordan Romano (5-1) picked up the win after recording two strikeouts in the top of the seventh inning.

The Blue Jays are 8-1 on their homestand, while the Red Sox have lost eight of their past nine games.

Toronto left-hander Robbie Ray allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings.

Boston right-hander Nick Pivetta allowed only one hit and one walk in six innings.

Ray allowed a leadoff walk to Enrique Hernandez in the first inning and retired the next 13 batters before Kevin Plawecki grounded a ball between third and shortstop in the fifth for the first hit of the game. But Christian Vazquez grounded to third to start an inning-ending double play.

Pivetta had not allowed a base runner until Corey Dickerson singled to left with two outs in the fifth inning.

Bobby Dalbec walked to open the sixth and moved to second on a single to left by Jonathan Arauz. Ray worked out of a potential threat with a strikeout, a fielder's choice grounder to third and a foul out to first.

Pivetta walked George Springer with two out in the bottom of the sixth. But Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s grounder forced Springer at second.

Boston added J.D. Martinez to the COVID-related injured list Saturday. Catcher Connor Wong was recalled from Triple-A Worcester.

Toronto put Tim Mayza (left elbow inflammation) on the injured list and optioned fellow left-hander Ryan Borucki to Triple-A Buffalo. Right-hander Patrick Murphy and left-hander Kirby Snead were recalled from Buffalo. Right-hander Trent Thornton was appointed the 27th man for the doubleheader.

--Field Level Media