From Top to Bottom, Toronto's Order is Contributing

The hit parade continues in Dunedin.

The Blue Jays put up double-digit hits for the third straight game as they cruised to an 8-0 win over the division-leading Boston Red Sox.

Toronto recorded a season-high 18 hits — all nine Blue Jays starters got a base-knock — but it was the bottom of the order that really got things started.

With a man on and two outs in the fourth, nine-stick Danny Jansen — who drove in the first run of the game — worked a clutch walk to extend the inning. Toronto's blistering-hot top of the order took care of the rest.

Second baseman Marcus Semien blooped a jam-shot single into right field that opened the floodgates. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. scored on the play and Jansen scampered home behind him after a throwing error from the outfield. Bichette then delivered a line-drive double that gave the Blue Jays a commanding 4-0 lead they never gave back.

After posting a lowly .572 OPS in April, Gurriel Jr. has rapidly turned things around at the plate.

He stayed back on the ball Tuesday night, driving two opposite-field base-hits, including an RBI single in the fifth inning that had him fired up after reaching first base. Over his last seven games, Gurriel Jr. now has nine hits, three of them for extra bases.

Teoscar Hernandez continued to flaunt his dramatically improved approach at the dish, adding a three-hit night to what is becoming a nearly unstoppable month of May.

"It's one of those [games] where you can just go out and have fun because everybody's getting a hit, everybody's in a good mood and our pitchers are throwing up zeros," said Randal Grichuk, who went 2-5 with a home run.

"That makes the game a lot more enjoyable and, obviously against a division rival, that's even a plus," Grichuk said.

For as dominant as Toronto's offense was, starter Hyun Jin Ryu was equally flawless. The 34-year-old righty reached 100 pitches for the first time this season, tossing seven scoreless innings. Ryu allowed just four hits, gave up zero walks and struck out seven Red Sox hitters.

"I feel really good right now physically and I'm just going to prepare myself for the near future so I can continue to do what I've been doing the last couple of outings," Ryu said through interpreter J.S. Park.

All-in-all, for a lineup without George Springer, the Blue Jays are looking about as good as it gets. If the club keeps stringing together nights where everyone hits and Blue Jays pitchers shut down opposing hitters, it could very well be just a matter of time before Toronto takes control of the American League East.

Up Next:

RHP Ross Stripling vs. RHP Garrett Richards @ 7:37 p.m. E.T.

Toronto will look to leapfrog Boston for the division lead on Wednesday. The Red Sox go with Garrett Richards, who allowed four earned runs and walked six hitters against the Blue Jays on April 21.

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