Red Sox

Red Sox give up a run on dropped pop-up, then lose to Blue Jays by a run

"It was just kind of a tough play all around."

By Tom Westerholm

April 21, 2022

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The Red Sox might be thinking about a pop-up in the top of the sixth inning on Thursday for the rest of the night.

On a windy afternoon at Fenway, relief pitcher Ryan Brasier coaxed a pop-up from Matt Chapman that floated high in the air and looked like an easy out. But as Christian Vázquez circled under it, the wind took the ball and turned what should have been a routine play into an odd moment. With Vázquez pulled away from the plate, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sprinted home.

Here’s a look at the play.

Acting manager Will Venable — who took over for Alex Cora after the Red Sox skipper tested positive for COVID-19 — told reporters the pop-up was “a tough one.”

“That ball, from my perspective, looked like it was going to be foul by a lot and the wind really took it,” Venable said. “At that point, it’s really just trying to catch the ball. It was kind of in no-man’s land. It was just kind of a tough play all around.”

In a cruel twist, the Red Sox — who trailed 3-0 after Guerrero scored — plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Xander Bogaerts doubled in Trevor Story, and Rafael Devers scored on Alex Verdugo’s groundball which put Bogaerts — the potential tying run — on third with just one out. Bobby Dalbec and Jackie Bradley Jr., however, grounded out harmlessly to end the threat.

The Red Sox start a three-game series against the Rays on Friday. They travel to Toronto on Monday looking to avenge their 2-1 series loss against the Blue Jays.