FLAT MYERS, Fla. With a run of his own later in the eighth inning, Nathan Hickey drove in the game’s decisive run and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday, their fourth straight preseason setback.
To secure the victory, Lucas Luetge (1-0) walked one batter and struck out two in the eighth inning. To earn the save, Jason Alexander pitched the ninth inning.
Boston took a lead in the sixth inning thanks to a run-scoring single by Masataka Yoshida. In the eighth, Dalton Guthrie produced an RBI single that drove in Hickey for the game’s winning run. In three innings of work, starter Kutter Crawford gave up two singles and struck out four batters.
For the Blue Jays, Andrew Bash (1-1) took the loss. With just one strikeout in the seventh and eighth innings, he allowed three hits and two runs. To start the scoring in the top of the sixth, Alejandro Kirk hit a home run.
Paolo Espino, the starter, pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed.
In Grapefruit League play, Toronto is 2–7.
In Atlanta’s three-run opening inning on Saturday, Jordan Luplow smashed a two-run home run, leading the Braves to a 6-2 preseason victory over the Jays in Dunedin, Florida. Chris Bassitt (0-1) of Toronto started the game and pitched three innings, giving up three earned runs.