Hauschild stumbles in first MLB start

TORONTO -- The Mike Hauschild experiment worked for one outing, but his first Major League start didn't go nearly as well for the Blue Jays.
After pitching six scoreless innings a week ago in Seattle, the Red Sox proved a much tougher test for the 28-year-old right-hander. They jumped on him early, scoring four runs in the third inning and chasing him after just 2 1/3 frames, sending Toronto to a 10-5 loss at Rogers Centre on Wednesday.
Rafael Devers hit a leadoff double to open the third and two batters later, Hauschild found himself in a bases-loaded, no-out jam. Andrew Benintendi hit a sac fly to put Boston on the board and Mitch Moreland followed with a two-run double to give Boston a 3-0 lead. After J.D. Martinez singled, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons turned to his bullpen.
"I give [Hauschild] credit," Gibbons said. "He had a good one last time, and today, it didn't get out of control by any means. [If] I leave him in, he might roll a ground ball, so three runs is all he gives up right there."
Hauschild was signed by Toronto just 30 minutes before his outing in Seattle after being designated for assignment by the Astros. He posted a 4.88 ERA in 19 Triple-A starts this season, but his career Major League ERA ballooned to 7.71 after Wednesday's outing.

"The biggest difference for me was just pounding the zone," Hauschild said. "My fastball, it kind of looked like they eliminated it in the third inning there, and I made a couple mistakes, and they hit it pretty hard."
Hauschild could get another shot as the Blue Jays' fifth starter when the spot comes up on Monday against Kansas City, but Gibbons isn't certain who he'll use in the spot next turn through the rotation.
"We don't know what's going to happen, to be honest with you," Gibbons said.
The void will eventually be filled by Aaron Sanchez, who will make his first rehab start on Tuesday. Sanchez has been on the 10-day disabled list since June 23 with a right index finger contusion.
It's believed the organization would like to keep top prospect Sean Reid-Foley in the Minor Leagues a little longer. The 22-year-old has a 2.98 ERA between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo. He went just five innings, allowing two runs, but struck out eight in his last outing on Tuesday.
Right-hander Jacob Waguespack is the most likely option for Toronto. He was acquired in a deal with the Phillies for Aaron Loup. He has a 4.48 ERA split between Double-A and Triple-A this season, and he would be on track to start the series opener in Kansas City after pitching 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday. Thomas Pannone could be another option for the team, however, he's posted a 5.36 ERA in the Minors since returning from an 80-game suspension this season.
The Blue Jays' bullpen didn't fare well after Hauschild. Luis Santos, Jake Petricka, Danny Barnes, and Joe Biagini allowed runs in their combined 5 2/3 innings.
"We hung around, just couldn't get that big shutdown inning," Gibbons said.
Red Sox starter Brian Johnson went seven innings, but he got roughed up by a pair of home runs from Teoscar Hernández and Randal Grichuk, and finished the night with five earned runs.

Hernandez's sixth-inning homer was his 17th of the year and tied him for second on the team with Yangervis Solarte, trailing only Justin Smoak, who has 18.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Grichuk pulls Blue Jays within three: Trailing 8-2 in the seventh inning, Grichuk clobbered a Johnson fastball an estimated 442 feet, per Statcast™, off the windows in the 300 level in left field to score Kevin Pillar and Russell Martin. It was his 15th home run of the season, and his second-longest shot of the year.

"Honestly, you want to say it feels great, but it doesn't even feel like anything," Grichuk said. "You square it up so well that it just doesn't feel like anything, and it's one of those things you just kind of sit back and want to watch a little bit."
• Travis flourishing at top of the order
SOUND SMART
Smoak extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double in the fourth inning. He finished the night 3-for-4 and has hit .353 during the hitting streak.
HE SAID IT
"It's a tough division to pitch in, to hit in. Every time you go out you're going to get former Cy Young winners, guys that have chances to win it this year, and lineups like these guys, so you definitely have to come ready to play every night." -- Grichuk, on the American League East
UP NEXT
The Blue Jays will send Ryan Borucki (1-2, 2.30 ERA) to the mound Thursday for the final game of their three-game set with the Red Sox. Borucki has been dominant during all but one of his starts this season, pitching at least six innings in six of his seven outings. His one hiccup came in Fenway where he surrendered seven runs, four earned, in just three innings pitched. Rick Porcello (14-4, 3.84) counters for Boston. He's coming off a complete game against the Yankees in which he allowed just one solo homer and struck out nine. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET.