The Associated Press
BOSTON–Doug Fister quickly has gone from a pitcher looking for a big-league job right into being a key starter for a team chasing a division title.
Fister gave up just one run over seven innings, and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, as the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 last night–a day after the teams played a 19-inning marathon.
The Red Sox claimed the 33-year-old Fister in June after he opted out of a ‘AAA’ contract and was released by the L.A. Angels.
But in the last couple weeks, he’s clearly been Boston’s best starter.
“To say that when we got him from the Angels that he would be running a streak of starts consecutively like he is, no, he’s surpassed the initial expectation,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
“He’s doing a great job.”
It was the second-straight win for the AL East-leading Red Sox, who moved four games ahead of the idle second-place N.Y. Yankees, whose game at Baltimore was rained out last night.
Playing just 18 hours after completing a 3-2 victory that lasted six hours and ended on Hanley Ramirez’s bloop single, the Red Sox took charge with a four-run fourth capped by Bradley’s homer.
Fister (5-7) allowed four hits, struck out nine, and walked three, improving to 3-1 in his last four starts with a 1.50 ERA.
“It’s definitely a fun time of year, being anxious for what might come,” he said.
“I just continually work hard each and every day.”
Joe Biagini (3-10) was tagged for five runs in 3 1/3 innings.
With rain starting to fall when the Red Sox came to the plate in the fourth, Xander Bogaerts broke a 3-for-33 slump by lining an opposite field RBI triple and then scored on Rafael Devers’ single.
Bradley then belted his homer into Boston’s bullpen, making it 5-1.
“I thought he threw the ball pretty good early under these conditions,” Jays’ acting manager DeMarlo Hale said of Biagini.
“You think about the fourth inning, really the big blow was the home run,” he noted.
“He left a change-up up to Bradley and I thought that was really the big blow of the game.”
Biagini didn’t waste time analyzing his outing.
“Bad. That’s a short answer for you,” he said.
“It’s a search for consistency, consistency of release point,” he added.
“Just aggressiveness and all that good stuff.”
Both teams scored a run in the first.
During his strong four-start stretch, Fister has allowed all five of his runs in the opening inning.
Miguel Montero drew a bases-loaded walk after Fister gave up a lead-off single to Ezequiel Carrera, a double to Justin Smoak, and a walk to Michael Saunders.
“He gets into the rhythm of the game. It takes him an inning,” Farrell noted.
“It’s been uncanny how similar the beginning of games are and how he finishes out.”
The Red Sox also were 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts last night, and improved to 29-for-32 this season against Toronto–the most steals by any club in the majors against an opponent this year.
