TORONTO — On his 28th birthday, usually reliable Boston Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel was perfectly positioned to kick off the celebrations with his first win of the season Saturday.
David Ortiz had wrestled back the lead with a ninth-inning home run, and with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Kimbrel had worked Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak to an 0-2 count.
But Smoak misread the script, driving a single up the middle. After Smoak was replaced by pinch-runner Ezequiel Carrera, catcher Russell Martin drove home the tying run on a 2-2 count. Devon Travis drove in Martin on another 0-2 count as the Blue Jays walked off with a 10-9 win.
Whatever he had planned for Saturday night, his birthday celebrations hadn’t exactly got off to the most auspicious of starts.
“(Big) Papi going out there and hitting the home run, that was huge for us,” Kimbrel (0-2) said. “It was very disappointing that I wasn’t able to close the door after that.”
The winning hit from Travis got mixed reaction in the Red Sox locker room. Third baseman Travis Shaw had to dive to corral the drive, but his throw to first was dropped by Hanley Ramirez, allowing Martin’s game-winning run to stand.
“It’s a tough play, it’s a tough play for any first baseman, I don’t care how many games you’ve played over at first base,” said Dustin Pedroia. “I’ve seen that done by Gold Glovers and everybody. That’s not the reason why we lost the game.”
But Manager John Farrell felt his first baseman would have liked to have a do-over.
“Travis gives him a throw and we’ve seen Hanley catch that ball a number of times,” Farrell said. “If we give him a chance to replay that, he probably makes that play routinely. Unfortunate situation in a key moment.”
Up 8-4 when starter Rick Porcello left after 62/3 innings, the Red Sox looked in good position to grab a series-leveling victory. But those hopes started to unravel in the eighth, when Martin, Travis and Jose Bautista drove in runs off the bullpen, combined with another on a wild pitch from Junichi Tazawa, and the game was tied.
Ortiz’s 13th home run of the season, and league-leading 46th RBI, off Toronto reliever Gavin Floyd (2-3), gave the Red Sox another chance, but with the bullpen giving up a season-high six earned runs, it just wasn’t their day.
“With the potency in our lineup, I feel like no lead is really big enough,” Martin said.
Porcello gave up four runs on seven hits, striking out five.
Marcus Stroman tied his shortest outing of the season, also against Boston, surrendering seven runs on 11 hits, striking out five. He was chased in the fifth inning with one out.
NOTES: A day after being passed over as one of the last selections for Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey squad, Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban took batting practice with the Blue Jays before the game. Wearing a No. 76 “Subbanator” shirt corresponding with his uniform number in the NHL, the former Norris Trophy winner took batting tips from Bautista. …
Home plate umpire Mike DiMuro left the game with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. He was hit flush in the facemask on a foul tip off the bat of Travis. …
Toronto activated left-handed reliever Aaron Loup from the DL. …
David Price (7-1, 5.34), who will start Sunday for the Red Sox, makes his first start of the season at Rogers Centre, where he is 11-1 in 15 career starts with a 3.34 ERA. R.A. Dickey (2-6, 4.60), who will start for Toronto, is 0-5 in his last eight starts against the Red Sox.
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