Blue Jays set franchise records for runs and hits in Red Sox blowout

Raimel Tapia hit an inside-the-park grand slam after a misplay by Boston center fielder Jarren Duran and the Toronto Blue Jays set a franchise record for runs in a game, rolling past the Red Sox 28-5 on Friday night.

Toronto came within two runs of the modern major league record for runs in a game after stranding two in the ninth inning with Boston infielder Yolmer Sanchez on the mound.

Every Blue Jays starter had at least two hits, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tied Frank Catalanotto’s franchise record with six of them.

Danny Jansen homered twice and drove in six runs. Matt Chapman and Teoscar Hernandez added solo homers for the Blue Jays, who topped their previous single-game mark of 24 runs set June 26, 1976 against the Baltimore Orioles. John Mayberry homered twice and drive in seven in that game after entering as a pinch-hitter.

The 28 runs are the most ever yielded by a Red Sox team, eclipsing the previous mark in a 27-3 loss to Cleveland in 1923.

Toronto entered the day with a two-game lead over the Red Sox for the AL’s final wild-card spot. The Blue Jays improved 7-3 against Boston this year.

Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing a homer and charged with nine runs.

That started a 29-hit night for Toronto – winners of four straight – which featured nearly as many follies by the Red Sox.

It started with Tapia’s home run sprint.

With two outs in the third and Toronto leading 6-0, Tapia lifted a two-out fly ball to center against reliever Austin Davis.

Duran took a couple steps back, then a couple in, then put up his hands in confusion. Boston fans groaned when the ball landed on the warning track behind him.

Duran walked slowly toward the ball while left fielder Alex Verdugo raced over, slid to scoop it up and fired it toward the infield. The relay home wasn’t close to nabbing Tapia, who picked up speed when he realized Duran had lost the ball.

GOTTA SEE IT: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! ????

Raimel Tapia hits an inside-the-park grand slam.

Presented by @Charmin | #EnjoyTheGo pic.twitter.com/SThqZIyU4O

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 23, 2022

Tapia hit the second inside-the-park slam in Toronto’s history – both of them at Fenway.

Junior Felix had Toronto’s previous inside-the-park slam on June 2, 1989 in Boston against Bob Stanley.

The modern MLB record for runs in a game is 30, set by the Texas Rangers against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 22, 2007. The all-time mark is 36 for the Chicago Colts against the Louisville Colonels in 1897.

Kevin Gausman (7-7) scattered seven hits and three runs over five innings for Toronto.

Most runs in an MLB game (1900-present):
30- Rangers (Aug 22, 2007)
29- Red Sox (June 8, 1950)
29- White Sox (Apr 23, 1955)
29- Braves (Sept 9, 2020)
28- Cardinals (July 6, 1929)
28- Blue Jays (July 22, 2022)
27- Cleveland (July 7, 1923)