BOSTON --- Summer Camp has come to an end a few innings earlier than expected.
The Red Sox and Blue Jays didn’t wait long to abandon the remainder of their exhibition game Wednesday night. Toronto recorded a 2-0 win over Boston in just 4½ innings, as light rain forced the tarp to be brought out with the hosts coming to the plate.
Fenway Park remained relatively dry through a light shower, but neither team seemed too excited about waiting around for the finish. [...]
BOSTON --- Summer Camp has come to an end a few innings earlier than expected.
The Red Sox and Blue Jays didn’t wait long to abandon the remainder of their exhibition game Wednesday night. Toronto recorded a 2-0 win over Boston in just 4½ innings, as light rain forced the tarp to be brought out with the hosts coming to the plate.
Fenway Park remained relatively dry through a light shower, but neither team seemed too excited about waiting around for the finish. This curtailed 2020 regular season can’t begin soon enough, and Friday’s matchup against the Orioles will represent the latest opener in 119 years of Red Sox history.
"I think everybody is pretty ready to get that going," Boston first baseman Mitch Moreland said. "We need to play in some games that count and that have some meaning behind them. We’re looking forward to getting out there and opening it up right."
One swing from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. produced all the offense on this night. He launched a hanging breaking ball from Brian Johnson to Lansdowne Street in the top of the fourth, a towering two-run homer. That followed a one-out single to right-center by Cavan Biggio, the first of just two hits recorded by the Blue Jays in this one.
Zack Godley had plenty to do with keeping the Toronto bats at bay. The right-hander impressed through three scoreless frames, issuing just a one-out walk in the top of the second. Joe Panik’s hot shot to first was fielded smoothly by Moreland, starting a 3-6-3 double play that ended the inning.
"He’s got really good stuff," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. "His fastball moves. He has a great curveball. It’s just about throwing strikes and being in the zone."
Godley figures to be among the players on Boston’s 30-man roster bubble, and conversations about cuts will linger until Thursday’s noon deadline. Roenicke said several players have already learned their respective fates, and his emotions ran the gamut throughout individual meetings prior to the 7:30 p.m. first pitch.
"I was in a lot of those spots where I didn’t make a team or I was released," Roenicke said. "It’s hard. I feel for these guys – especially the guys who think they’re going to be on the team, and then all of a sudden they’re not.
"It’s tough. It’s a crushing blow to some of them."
Moreland should be secure in his role against right-handed pitching this season, and he could scratch the lineup against some left-handers if he catches a hot streak. He debuted for the Rangers in 2010 and will be playing in an 11th big league season unlike any other.
"A lot of guys looked ready to roll as soon as they got here, and that was good to see," Moreland said. "I think everybody is ready for the competition, ready to get out there and play those games that count. That will be big for us."
Boston managed just a pair of singles against Trent Thornton and Shun Yamaguchi – a Kevin Pillar bouncer to deep short and a Xander Bogaerts looper to shallow right-center. Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette made a fantastic diving play to his left and fired across from shallow left field to deny Michael Chavis another hit leading off the bottom of the third. Thornton struck out three and Yamaguchi recorded three flyball outs.
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