Jays gain lift from this win
Solid pitching, Hill's bat are key
The Red Sox went into last night riding an emotional high after sweeping the Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays came in as losers of five in a row, including three straight in Baltimore over the weekend.
The Blue Jays needed to find a way to get back on track, and they did, beating Boston by a 7-3 score at Fenway Park. The standout performances came from the pitchers, who held Manny Ramírez and David Ortiz to zero hits in nine at-bats, and from second baseman Aaron Hill, who generated four hits, including a home run and two doubles. He crossed the plate three times.
"He's off to a good start for us," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "He's probably been our most consistent hitter since the start of the season. But you watch his defense, too. He plays some Gold Glove second base. He's a young kid and he's got very little experience, but he just keeps getting better and better."
Hill said the victory was a morale boost.
Although he got a single and a double off of starter Tim Wakefield, he said it wasn't as easy as he made it look.
"I got lucky," said the 25-year-old. "I don't like facing him. I do not like that knuckleball. But that was what was big about what Frank [Thomas] did [when he homered in the Jays' three-run sixth]. That's what he's done his whole career. He put the barrel on the ball and he got us going. That was huge."
Hill said the clubhouse atmosphere hasn't been dour. Instead, the Blue Jays have tried to take something positive out of each contest, win or lose, and build on that.
"That's what's good about our team," he said. "We've got guys who love coming to the ballpark and love doing what they do and love being around each other. There's good team camaraderie in here.
"We knew it was going to click. We've been telling ourselves, one of these games it's going to come through. I think tonight was the night. Guys got their confidence back."
Gibbons said his players ate up the Fenway atmosphere, and those in the Blue Jays room acknowledged the Red Sox might have been feeling a little bit of a letdown after beating New York three in a row. Whatever the reason, they'll take it.
"It's always fun playing here," said Gibbons. "It always works, just like in Yankee Stadium, to the home team's advantage, but it brings out the best in you."
Gibbons was especially pleased with how effectively his pitchers shut down Boston's best hitters.
"There's not a tougher combo in baseball than those two back-to-back," he said. "Our guys pitched great and overall they have been. There have been a couple of games that have gotten away from us, but if you look over the course of the season, they've all done a nice job and they're young and inexperienced. If you can hold the Red Sox to three runs, you feel pretty darn good."
Hill seconded that.
"That definitely shows how good our pitching did tonight," he said. "Those two, if you hold them to no hits, you've got a good chance of winning."
Hill, a native of Visalia, Calif., said he enjoys his time in Boston even when the Blue Jays are on the wrong end of the score.
"I love playing here," he said. "It's historic. I don't know anyone who wouldn't like to play here. A lot of people come through here.
"You've got to respect the fact that this place has been around a long time and there's a lot of history in this ballpark. It's beautiful. This is probably my favorite place on the road to come to." 