Mookie Betts was so excited he nearly tripped when his feet got tangled on the way to first base.
Boston’s normally mild-mannered right fielder let loose with some emotion after ending a marathon at-bat with a grand slam that helped lead the Red Sox to a 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.
”I almost went down Kenyan Drake Jersey ,” Betts said with a chuckle after going 2 for 4 with five RBIs. ”I had to depend on my athletic ability and it came through that time.”
That ability has Betts leading the majors in batting and the Red Sox riding a 10-game winning streak to the best record in the big leagues. Boston has the longest current winning streak in the majors and hasn’t lost since getting routed 11-1 at Yankee Stadium on July 1.
Betts fouled off seven pitches from All-Star lefty J.A. Happ before driving the 13th pitch well over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park to put the Red Sox up 5-2 in the fourth inning. Betts turned to his dugout and shouted at teammates in celebration, then almost lost his footing on the way to first base.
”Since I’ve been in the big leagues, that’s probably the most excited that I’ve been,” said Betts, who added an RBI single in the seventh and increased his batting average to .352.
David Price (10-6) struck out eight over 6 2/3 innings for Boston, and Craig Kimbrel earned his 29th save.
Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the first and Kendrys Morales had a solo homer for Toronto, which has lost four of five.
Happ (10-6) started strong for Toronto, striking out six and holding Boston to two hits before running into trouble and some misfortune in the fourth. The Red Sox capitalized on a missed fly ball and a video review that erased what would have been the second out while scoring five runs – all unearned – before the inning ended.
”You’re not going to see many innings like that. I don’t think I could even describe it,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
Happ threw 46 pitches in the inning, 13 to Betts as he fouled off a string of five straight and caught a break when a popup bounced out of first baseman Justin Smoak’s glove after he ran it down in foul territory and attempted an over-the-shoulder catch. Betts worked Happ to a full count, then cleared the bases with his 23rd homer of the season and fourth career grand slam.
Happ loaded the bases with a walk to No. 9 hitter Jackie Bradley Jr., who was batting .202. Happ also threw a wild pitch while walking Bradley in an inning that was extended when Boston successfully challenged a force at second on a fielder’s choice.
”I felt good tonight and I felt like my stuff was sharp,” Happ said. ”I don’t know if they got a ball out of the infield before that homer, so that’s tough to take.”
After Hernandez’s two-run homer soared deep into the center-field seats Spencer Ware Jersey , Price didn’t allow another run until Morales led off the seventh with another shot to center that pulled the Blue Jays to 5-3.
Smoak hit an RBI double on a drive to center in the eighth, when a fan in the front row interfered with the ball and Randal Grichuk scored to pull the Blue Jays to 6-4.
RECORD TERRITORY
Boston is on its longest streak since winning 11 straight in September 2016. At 66-29, the Red Sox are 37 games over .500 for the first time since 1949.
”It seems like everything is clicking right now,” manager Alex Cora said. ”The bullpen has been outstanding. The starters are going deep into games. Yeah, it feels that way.”
FAN FORGIVENESS
Price could hear the boos before Hernandez’s homer had a chance to land, but left to a standing ovation after allowing three runs and six hits.
Cora said Price deserved the recognition for recovering the way he did after the first inning. Cora said Price’s performance in the fifth after the long rally by Boston’s offense was a key to the Red Sox winning.
”David was outstanding,” Cora said. ”I loved the use of the changeup back-to-back. We haven’t seen that in a while.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: 1B Steve Pearce exited after the second inning, when he was hit on the left ankle by a pitch from Happ. Pearce needed several minutes before going to first base and was replaced by Blake Swihart in the top of the third.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: LHP Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.25 ERA) gets his fourth career start after a no-decision Sunday, when he held the New York Yankees to one run and seven hits over seven innings.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (11-3, 3.58) has won three of four starts and already matched his victory total from last season.
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A new offseason workout plan has rejuvenated Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The 36-year-old indicated that he's in the best shape of his career Thursday following the team's first training camp practice at St. Vincent College.
A leaner, trimmer Roethlisberger hopes the additional offseason work can play a part in helping the Steelers to another championship.
"Anything you can do to lighten the load on your knees and ankles, I think is important," said Roethlisberger Chris Carson Jersey , who worked with a personal trainer and nutritionist to cut sugar and carbohydrates from his diet to get him ready for his 15th season.
"The knees, the ankles, being lighter ... those are all positives when it comes to this age, playing football and a sport where you're pounding on your knees and you've had a couple knee surgeries."
It could be his last chance to win a championship with two-time All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell.
Bell is away from the team after he and the Steelers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension earlier this month, meaning he will play under the $14.5 million franchise tag for the second straight year.
Bell skipped training camp last year and signed his franchise tender less than a week before the start of the season. He is expected to follow the same plan and then play what could be his final season in Pittsburgh.
"I don't know what's going on with his agents and how this whole thing works, so I'm not sure what's going to happen," Roethlisberger said.
Nobody's sure when Bell will show up either. Until then, former Pitt star running back James Conner, rookie fifth-round pick Jaylen Samuels and veterans Stevan Ridley and Fitzgerald Toussaint will carry the load.
"Le'Veon is one of the best, if not the best in the business," Roethlisberger said. "We miss him as a teammate, but I look at it as an awesome opportunity for the other guys."
Roethlisberger, whose contract expires in the spring of 2020, is excited about the offensive line in front of him and the Steelers' skill players at running back and wide receiver Danny Shelton Jersey , led by Bell and four-time All-Pro Antonio Brown.
"I really like where this team is at," Roethlisberger said. "If I didn't have a good feeling about this team, it probably wouldn't be as exciting, but I am excited about this group."
He led the team to a 13-3 regular season last season, which included a second straight AFC North title and third in four years. But the Steelers were upset by Jacksonville at home during the divisional round in the playoffs.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said it's reasonable to expect another big season from Roethlisberger after his renewed offseason conditioning focus.
"Regardless of position, we always say physical conditioning precedes anything else," Tomlin said. "When a guy shows up in great shape, that's oftentimes a springboard for big-time play."
While Roethlisberger hopes the additional work can prolong his career, he also reiterated that he's only focused on this season.
"I think the biggest key is physical health," Roethlisberger said. "When you get done with the season, how do you feel physically? Do you feel physically able to go back another season or not? We'll address that when the season is over and that's a long ways away."
Roethlisberger established career highs in completions, attempts, completion percentage, yards and touchdowns under Todd Haley Earl Thomas III Jersey , but shared an at-times contentious relationship with the Steelers' former offensive coordinator.
This season, he will work with former quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner, who has taken over the play-calling duties after Haley's deal wasn't renewed in January. Roethlisberger said Fichtner hasn't changed much offensively.
"He's not going to change who he is," Roethlisberger said. "He's not going to change his approach to the game and be a different person."
As long as it leads to a Super Bowl title, that's all that matters to Roethlisberger.
"If you win more than you lose, that's important, but winning those games can lead to Super Bowl opportunities, so that's always our ultimate goal," Roethlisberger said. "There's 31 other teams doing the same thing. That needs to be our singular focus."
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