Jays beat Red Sox 4-1, and Jansen shows up on both sides of box score — an MLB first

By Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press on August 26, 2024.

BOSTON (AP) – Danny Jansen’s former team beat his current one on Monday, when George Springer cleared the Green Monster with a 416-foot home run and seven Toronto pitchers combined on a four-hitter to beat the Red Sox 4-1 in the completion of a game that was suspended by rain in June.

Jansen made history as the first major leaguer to play for both teams in the same game, starting it as the Toronto catcher on June 26, when it was halted – with Jansen about to bat – in the second inning. The backup catcher was traded to Boston on July 27, and he was behind the plate when the game resumed on Monday after a delay of 65 days, 18 hours and 35 minutes.

“It was a very cool moment, just to be part of it,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen again. It has to be kind of like the perfect storm for that to happen – starting with the storm. And I’m glad that everybody enjoyed it.”

Jansen had one of Boston’s hits, a fifth-inning single. (He was not credited with an at-bat for Toronto; he went to the plate and fouled off one pitch before the tarps came out on June 26, and Daulton Varsho was credited with the strikeout after Nick Pivetta fanned him on two more pitches.)

Springer’s 18th homer snapped a scoreless, seventh-inning tie, and the Blue Jays added three in the eighth when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run double and scored on a double by Addison Barger.

Zach Pop (1-3) got the last out of the sixth. Chad Green pitched the ninth for his 15th save, striking out Jansen – who tried to check his swing – with a runner on second to seal Toronto’s fifth straight victory.

“The first couple innings were just kind of weird, kind of slow. Announcing pinch hitters and things like that,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “But I think once you get into the fourth, it was baseball. I think just the initial stuff – you’re used to a bigger crowd here at Fenway, too – it was a little bit weird.”

Jarren Duran homered in the eighth for the Red Sox, who lost their fourth straight.

“It’s not happening right now, to be honest with you. It’s been going on for for a while here,” Cora said. “I don’t know if it’s pressure or just good pitching. We’re better than this; we know that. … We’ll turn it around.”

Kutter Crawford started the original game for the Red Sox and Pivetta (5-9) was on the mound when it resumed. He struck out 10 and walked none, allowing three runs – two earned – in six innings, leaving with two on and one out in the seventh before Luis Garcia gave up the back-to-back run-scoring doubles.

The Red Sox appeared to score a run in the sixth when Rafael Devers nubbed a ball down the first-base line. Catcher Brian Serven’s throw hit him in the back and rolled away, allowing Romy Gonzalez to come around from second and reach the plate.

But plate umpire Shane Livensparger immediately called Devers – who was running inside the baseline – out for interference.

Pop came in and got Rob Refsnyder on a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox have not announced a starter for Tuesday’s game. Whoever it is will face Toronto RHP Yariel Rodriguez (1-5).