The Boston Red Sox kept their playoff hopes alive on Monday by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 in the first of a three-game road series.
Red Sox starter Tanner Houck pitched five shutout innings and allowed just one hit to improve to 9-10 on the season. The Red Sox improved to 79-78.
Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt struggled by allowing three runs, two of which were earned, along with a season-high seven walks to drop to 11-14 on the season.
After striking out Jarren Duran to start the game, Bassitt walked three of the next five batters over the first two innings.
The Red Sox opened the scoring in the second inning, as second baseman Vaughn Grissom scored catcher Connor Wong from third on a sacrifice fly. It was Grissom’s fourth RBI of the season and his first since being called back up to the Red Sox from triple-A …