Tаnner Houсk, bullрen сombіne for Red Sox’ tһіrd strаіgһt wіn

Whatever else may be said about them, the 2024 Red Sox are at least going to finish with a better record than either of their last two seasons.

TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 23: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox doubles in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 23, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)Getty Images

After going 78-84 in both 2022 and 2023, the Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night, 4-1, giving them their 79th win of the season with five games left on the schedule. They need two more wins to avoid a losing season and three to post their first winning record since 2021.

The victory also enabled the Red Sox to stave off playoff elimination for at least another day. They remain 3.5 games behind the third wildcard spot in the American League.

Leading 3-0 in the eighth, the Red Sox added a big insurance run when Connor Wong walked, stole second, advanced to third on one fielder’s choice then scored on another. The Blue Jays spoiled the Sox’ shutout bid in the ninth with a run-scoring single by Spencer Horwitz off reliever Chris Martin.

The Sox got five shutout innings from starter Tanner Houck, who showed no ill effects from the weak shoulder which resulted in him being pushed back in the rotation recently.

In fact, Houck was masterful though he didn’t record a single strikeout and instead relied on weak contact to carve through the Toronto lineup inning after inning. Mostly, he induced plenty of ground balls, resulting in nine groundouts through the first four innings.

After retiring the first 14 hitters he faced, the Jays finally worked a two-out walk and followed with a single by Ernie Clement, spoiling any no-hit aspirations. But Houck retired Jonatan Clase for the final out in the fifth. It would be his last batter after throwing 57 pitches.

Toronto starter Chris Bassitt, who limited Boston to a single run over 6.2 innings in late August, struggled with his control from start to finish, issuing seven walks in 4.2 innings. But thanks to a coupe of baserunning miscues and some struggled with runners in scoring position (1-for-9) the Red Sox couldn’t take full advantage.

They did, however, manage solo runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings, though it could have — and shoud have —  been more.

The Sox broke through in the second when Wilyer Abreu drew a leadoff walk, took second on an error by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Vaughn Grissom.

In the third, consecutive two-out walks brought Abreu to the plate, and he pulled a double into the right field corner, playing Triston Casas from third.

Nick Sogard opened the fourth with a double, and after moving up to third on a balk from Bassitt, trotted home when Duran laced a double.

Brayan Bello, in what figures to be his final start of the season, will go for his 15th win in the middle game of the series. Bello has earned decisions in each of his last seven outings, and has won two of the last three.

He’ll be opposed by Bowden Francis, who twice has taken no-hitters into the ninth inning at Rogers Centre this season, only to have them broken up both times.