Toronto, ON – Drew Hutchison spun seven innings of one-run ball to help the Blue Jays earn a 5-1 victory over the Red Sox in the final stage of their three-game set at Rogers Centre.
Hutchison (5-2) scattered five hits and walked one while striking out five to earn his fourth victory in his last five starts.
"Hutch continues to mature right in front of our eyes," remarked Blue Jays manager John Farrell about Hutchinson. "He kept going out, putting up zeros to keep the momentum on our side."
Jose Bautista launched a three-run homer and knocked in four runs for the Blue Jays, who wrapped up a six-game homestand at 4-2.
Daniel Bard (5-6) was charged for all five runs in just 1 2/3 innings. He allowed just one hit, but walked six batters and hit two others before being lifted with two outs in the second.
"It's just a matter of getting back to what I had success doing in the past," remarked Bard, a former reliever. "There's no reason that the way I threw the ball out of the bullpen shouldn't translate to starting."
Kelly Shoppach accounted for the lone Boston run with a solo blast in the fifth, as the Red Sox lost for just the second time in their last seven games.
Bard's lack of control was evident from the start as he walked Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar before Bautista drove the eighth pitch of his at-bat deep into the right-field seats to give Toronto a 3-0 lead.
The second inning started much the same for Bard as he walked Colby Rasmus and J.P Arencibia to start the frame. After fanning consecutive Blue Jays, Bard drilled Escobar with a pitch to load the bases.
Bautista then coaxed a walk to plate a run before Encarnacion was plunked with a fastball to make it a 5-0 contest and mark the end of Bard's day.
Hutchison's only blemish came on Shoppach's third homer of the year with two outs in the fifth, while three relievers combined to keep the Sox scoreless over the final two frames.
Game Notes
Boston's Scott Atchison fired a scoreless inning and has not allowed a run in a career-high 15 straight games since April 29. His 19.2 shutout frames is the longest active streak in the majors...Encarnacion remained in the game after being hit in the right hand but was replaced by Jeff Mathis in the bottom of the fifth. X-rays after the game came back negative...Both benches were warned after Hutchison hit Boston third baseman Kevin Youkilis in the helmet with one-out in the top of the sixth.
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