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Blue Jays crush Red Sox 28-5 in record-setting game at Fenway Park

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Record win: The scoreboard tells the story at Fenway Park after Toronto scored 28 runs to set a record for a visiting team at the Boston ballpark, which opened in 1912. (Michael Dwyer/Associated Press )

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

BOSTON — It has been said that no lead is safe at Boston’s Fenway Park. Friday night was a rare -- and painful -- exception for the Red Sox, who fell into a hole early and never recovered.

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Raimel Tapia hit an inside-the-park grand slam after Boston center fielder Jarren Duran misplayed a fly ball to cap a seven-third inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays added 11 more runs in the fifth inning en route to a record-setting 28-5 victory against the Red Sox.

The previous record for most runs scored by a visitor at Fenway Park was 24, set by the New York Yankees in a 24-4 victory on Sept. 28, 1923, and matched on May 1, 1929, by the Philadelphia Athletics in a 24-6 romp. The Red Sox finished in last place in the American League in both of those seasons.

Toronto came within two runs of the modern major league record for runs in a game, but stranded two runners in the top of the ninth inning, The Associated Press reported. Boston infielder Yolmer Sánchez pitched the ninth inning.

The modern record of 30 runs in a game was set on Aug. 22, 2007, when the Texas Rangers crushed the Baltimore Orioles 30-3 at Camden Yards, according to Retrosheet.org.

Danny Jansen hit two home runs and drove in six runs for the Blue Jays, who set a franchise record for runs scored in a game, the Toronto Star reported. The Blue Jays’ previous mark was 24, set on June 26, 1978, against Baltimore at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, according to Retrosheet.org.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had six hits to tie a Blue Jays record set on May 1, 2004, by Frank Catalanotto against the Chicago White Sox, the Star reported.

“That was awesome,” Toronto interim manager John Schneider told reporters. “We talked about it before the game, how you can come out a little bit sleepy and you can come out hot. I think we came out hot, obviously.”

Until Friday, the Red Sox had never allowed more than 27 runs in a game, when Boston lost 27-3 to Cleveland on July 7, 1923, at Dunn Field in the first game of a doubleheader, according to Retrosheet.org.

“It was tough to be in the dugout to be honest with you,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after the game. “And they know that it’s not a lack of preparation. It’s not a lack of effort, because we keep working on our stuff and we keep going through the process the right way. I love to say that this happens, but it doesn’t happen often, you know, and we just got to turn the page.”


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