BOSTON (AP) — Bo Bichette’s sacrifice fly in the 11th inning scored Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrated his contract extension with three hits as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Guerrero and the Blue Jays finalized a $500 million, 14-year contract that starts in 2026, a deal with a record $325 million signing bonus. Later, the slugger went 3 for 5 and scored the team’s first run.
Toronto’s Kevin Gausman worked eight innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks. It was his longest outing since going eight innings on Aug. 8, 2024, and his 26th career game of 10 or more strikeouts.
Jeff Hoffman (1-0) went two scoreless innings for the win, and Nick Sandlin picked up his first save of the season.
Bichette drove in the winning run with a fly ball off right-hander Josh Winckowski (0-1).
Boston’s Tanner Houck went 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Boston center fielder Kristian Campbell singled in the eighth, extending his on-base streak to his first 12 career games. He is the third Red Sox player since 1920 to reach safely in each of his first 12 games, joining George Scott (1996) and Ted Williams (1939).
Key moment
Boston stranded runners at second and third in the 10th as Hoffman struck out Campbell to end the threat.
Key stat
The Red Sox defense, which entered the game leading the majors with 17 double plays, turned three more, including a 9-3 double play in the fourth inning. Boston right fielder Wilyer Abreu corralled Will Wagner’s fly ball and easily threw out Andrés Gimenez, who led off with a walk and had broken for second on the windup from Houck.
Up next
The Blue Jays send RHP Chris Bassitt (1-0, 0.71 ERA) against Boston’s RHP Walker Buehler (1-1, 8.68) in the series finale on Thursday.
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