Red Sox look to win series from Blue Jays

Toronto made the visiting Boston Red work for their 6-5, 13-inning win Wednesday night, but the bottom line is that the Blue Jays can only hope to split the four-game series.

The finale between the American League East rivals will be played Thursday afternoon, and Boston leads the series 2-1.

The Red Sox are scheduled to start right-hander Ryan Weber (0-0, 1.13 ERA) while the Blue Jays counter with left-hander Clayton Richard, who will be making his 2019 debut.

The Blue Jays twice tied Wednesday's game when they were one out from losing.

Pinch hitter Danny Jansen tied the game at 4 with an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. After Mookie Betts put Boston ahead with a homer in the top of the 12th, Rowdy Tellez homered to tie it at 5 in the bottom of the inning.

Michael Chavis homered in the top of the 13th, and the Blue Jays had run out of answers.

"We got the W and we move on," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Come here (Thursday) and try to win three of four and go to Houston. (Starter) Rick (Porcello) was outstanding. We felt we had everything lined up going into seven, eight, nine. It didn't work out, but guys kept fighting, put up good swings, some bad swings, some good pitches, bad pitches, but in the end, what matters is we finished on top and ended up winning the game."

The Red Sox have been playing the series without one of their top offensive threats, J.D. Martinez, and he isn't likely to play Thursday, either.

The veteran slugger missed the first two games of the series because of illness. Martinez did not play Wednesday after experiencing a tight back. With the back issue, the Red Sox aren't likely to want him playing on artificial turf.

"We may have to stay away from him the next few days," Cora said. "Shoot for Friday, hopefully, now. He's in there now getting some treatment."

The Red Sox visit the Houston Astros next for a three-game series that opens Friday.

Martinez is batting .308/.390/.521 with an OPS of .910, and nine home runs.

Before the game Wednesday, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said his choice of a starting pitcher for Thursday likely would depend on how far Aaron Sanchez lasted in Wednesday's start.

Sanchez went six innings, which meant the nod would go to Richard. A shorter outing would have meant that Ryan Feierabend would start.

"Clayton Richard's going to start tomorrow," Montoyo said after the game. "We haven't made a move yet for who's leaving."

A roster move would be needed because Richard, who was scheduled to make his first start April 1 before he was scratched with what the team termed a stress reaction in his right knee. He instead went on the injured list.

Montoyo said that Richard would not go more than 50 to 60 pitches, and that pitching coach Pete Walker was going through the bullpen situation.

Richard, 35, was acquired in the offseason from the San Diego Padres to join the rotation.

Richard, who went 7-11 with a 5.33 ERA in 27 starts for the Padres a season ago, has a record of 68-79 with a 4.46 ERA over his 10-year major league career.

He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two appearances (one start) against Boston.

Weber has not faced the Blue Jays. He has appeared in 27 career games, making eight starts, and has a record of 1-5 with a 4.63 ERA. He also spent time with the Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays.

--Field Level Media