Bichette breaks tie with 1st slam, Blue Jays top Red Sox 6-2

TORONTO (AP) — Bo Bichette broke an eighth-inning tie with his first career grand slam and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the slumping Boston Red Sox 6-2 on Monday night.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Matt Chapman also homered for the Blue Jays. José Berríos allowed two runs in a season-high seven-plus innings and Adam Cimber (4-0) got three outs for his major league-leading fourth win as Toronto won for the fifth time in six games.

“If we keep doing that, we’re going to be in every game,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said.

Boston has lost three straight and five of six. The Red Sox have scored two runs or fewer in all five of those defeats.

Bichette snapped a 2-all tie with a two-out drive to right field off right-hander Tyler Danish in the eighth. The homer was Bichette’s second of the season.

Gurriel hit a leadoff homer to left in the fifth, his second, and Chapman made it 2-0 with a two-out shot to center in the seventh, his third.

The Blue Jays have 25 home runs this season, most in the majors. Toronto led all MLB teams with a franchise-record 262 homers in 2021.

Bichette came in batting .217 on the season and went 0 for 3 before homering, but said his confidence hasn’t wavered.

“I’m just trying to be a little bit more selective but aggressive at the same time in what I want,” Bichette said. “I felt a lot better today.”

Montoyo hadn’t lost any faith in his slugging shortstop.

“Some people have slow starts, others have good starts,” Montoyo said. “I knew it was going to be fine. He made the adjustment today and that was good to see.”

The long balls by Gurriel and Chapman came off Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi, who allowed two runs and five hits in a season-high seven innings.

“He was amazing, in total control,” acting...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Bichette-breaks-tie-with-1st-slam-Blue-Jays-top-17126304.php