Middlebrooks parks three as Red Sox stomp Jays 13-0

When Toronto Blue Jays’ pitcher R.A, Dickey first arrived in the major leagues, he fashioned a pitch that was not quite a forkball and not quite a knuckleball that he called, for lack of a better label, “The Thing”.

On Sunday afternoon, the Boston Red Sox turned his pitches into a Dr. Seuss book.

Apr 7, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks (16) gets his second home run off of Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey (not pictured) in the fifth inning at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

In the animated book The Cat in the Hat, the Cat opens a box releasing Thing one and thing two, who caused mischief, flying kites in the house – but at the Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto, the Red Sox knocked them out of the park:

Thing one hit Will Middlebrook’s bat and flew out of sight, and all that Dickey could do is watch it disappear behind the wall in right,

Two runs scored, much to the Blue Jays’ chagrin, and this after Ellsbury, Victorino and Pedroia had been knocked in;

Then it was Thing Two’s turn to experience Middlebrook’s heft, the Red Sox third baseman sending him into the people in left,

A solo shot in the fifth is how it was scored, and this after the Sox has already posted 6 runs on the board;

Dickey’s day was done after Middlebrooks sent Thing Two away, but the Red Sox were having fun and still wanted to play,

So the Blue Jays sent in a new pitcher, Bush was his name, But Middlebrooks hit his third followed by Nava, Ellsbury and Napoli to finish the game.

The loss was Dickey’s second of the season, yielding seven runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out five.  The Knuckleballer lost the season opener to the Cleveland Indians after giving up 4 runs on five hits in six innings.

Reliever Dave Bush was just as bad, surrendering five runs on five hits, four of those hits round trippers.

Red Sox starter Jon Lester was much more efficient, throwing a seven inning gem, scattering five hits while striking out six and walking none.  Clayton Mortensen pitched two solid innings in relief of Lester. yielding two hit and striking out four.

Mike Napoli went 2-5, joining Middlebrooks with 4 RBI’s.  Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-6 with 2 RBIs and Daniel Nava knocked in two as well.

The Red Sox bring their shiny 4-2 record home to Fenway for the first time this season, hosting the Baltimore Orioles for three games then four against the Tampa Bay Rays’ for a week long homestand.  Monday’s game is a 2:05 start with Wei-Yin Chen going for the Orioles while Clay Buchholz takes the mound for the Sox.