Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press
BOSTON — Raimel Tapia of the Toronto Blue Jays hit an infield grand slam on Friday when Boston Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran lost the ball in the reflectors and failed to run full speed to retrieve it.
Tapia’s sprint around the trails was the highlight of a record offensive outburst for the Blue Jays, who won 28-5 on 29 hits, including five homers.
The Blue Jays erased their team mark for most runs scored in a game with their 25th, in fifth.
Every starting player for the Jays has hit at least two hits.
Lourdes Gurriel hit six hits, tying Frank Catalanotto’s team mark.
Danny Jansen, with two, Matt Chapman and Teoscar Hernández also homered for the Blue Jays, who won a fourth straight game.
“It was fabulous,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. We were talking about it before the match, how it can start like a lion or a little sleepy. We really started with lions.”
Toronto led 10-0 after three sets; in the next three innings the visitors added four, 11 and two runs.
The Jays came within two runs of tying Major League Baseball’s modern-day record for most runs in a game.
On August 22, 2007, the Texas Rangers scored 30 points against the Baltimore Orioles.
The grand slam inside the Tapia court was the second in Blue Jays history. The other was made by Junior Felix on June 2, 1989 against Bob Stanley, also at Fenway Park.
Friday’s punctuated a third set of seven runs.
With two outs, Tapia raised a fly ball to center field against reliever Austin Davis.
Duran took two steps back, then two forwards, before throwing his hands up in confusion. Spectators grumbled as the ball landed on the warning track behind him.
Not spotting the ball was “the most disarming feeling you could ever have,” Duran said.
“I lost the ball in the dark,” he added. It happens.”
Duran walked slowly toward the ball as left fielder Alex Verdugo ran full speed and slid to retrieve the ball, which he threw toward the infield.
“Of course I should have taken a few steps (quickly), conceded Duran. (Verdugo) was (more or less) returned to the ball. It is clear that he was going to get there before me but the next time, I will know that I have to take a few steps.
The throw to home plate never came close to removing Tapia, who sped up when he realized Duran had lost track of the ball.
The 25-year-old and in his second Major League Baseball campaign, Duran came into the game a lethargy with two hits in 30 visits to the plate.
The last out of the game was none other than Duran, on momentum.
On June 26, 1978, the Blue Jays beat the Orioles 24-10 for their most points in a game.
In that game, John Mayberry had hit two homers and driven in seven runs after being used as a pinch hitter.
The Red Sox allowed two more runs in the sixth inning, which then tied their team record for most runs allowed in a game. On July 7, 1923, the Red Sox suffered a 27-3 thaw against Cleveland.
The Blue Jays’ 28th run came in the ninth inning on a Chapman single.
