Red Sox Win AL East. Beat Jays 6-3

The Boston Ted Sox wrapped up the AL East title behind Jon Lester by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3. Lester had a 123 pitch effort (7IP, 1R, 5H, 2W, 8K) while raising his record to 15-8.

How bad are things for Toronto? They lost center-fielder Colby Rasmus in the first inning when a warm up ball tossed from the Jays bullpen hit him in the face. Sep 20, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara (19) celebrates after they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 to win the AL East title at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

This last home series of the regular season at Fenway featured two teams going in opposite directions. The Toronto Blue Jays were the ones that many had prophesied to finish first and the Red Sox last. What surprises and disappointments a season can bring.

The Sox went to work first.

Dustin Pedroia led off the Sox first with a two strike double off The Wall. Daniel Nava hit a sac fly to move him to third and with David Ortiz at bat Jays starter, Esmil Rogers, wild pitched a run in. Ortiz and Mike Napoli both walked, but with two gone Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to center. Unfortunately for Boston it was Ortiz attempting to score and not Usain Bolt. Out at home and Sox up 1-0 after one.

In the third Nava scrapped a one out double off the wall. Rogers then earned a hook by walking Ortiz, Napoli and Mike Carp for a run. Rogers replacement, Chad Jenkins, induced a Salty double play and Sox went up 2-0.

Lester worked out of a bases loaded and no out situation in the fourth. A third to home to third double play made it two gone. J.P. Arencibia then struck out to end the mini uprising.

In the fifth Rajai Davis singled and promptly stole second and third. Brett Lawrie singled him in and the Jays were down 2-1 after their half of the fifth.

After seven innings Lester was done but the Sox were not. The Sox half opened with consecutive singles by Jackie Bradley, Pedroia, Nava and the RBI single by Ortiz. A Napoli double play was followed by a two tun single by Carp. Sox up 5-1 and the game turned over to the bullpen and they almost blew it up.

Junichi Tazawa gave up a double to Davis and then a one out two run homer to free agent to be Adam Lind. A Moises Sierra single and Tazawa was gone.

Who do you call when disaster is about to strike? In comes Koji Uehara. Koji put out that fire and the Sox responded by getting a run back in their half of the eighth.

Ancient Darren Oliver allowed a single to Will Middlebrooks. Middlebrooks stole second and came home on a Pedroia single up the middle. Now for Koji time and champagne time. Five out save and AL East title is owned by Boston.