TORONTO — Instant reactions from the Red Sox‘ 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays here at Rogers Centre on Thursday:

1) Reliever Justin Slaten entered the eighth inning having allowed no hits and walks in eight of his 12 outings. He hadn’t allowed a hit in nine of those 12 outings. But he gave up three hits, including a three-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to turn a 2-1 Red Sox lead into a 4-2 Blue Jays lead. He had gotten ahead of Guerrero 0-2 but the slugger worked the count and homered on the seventh pitch.

2) Wilyer Abreu, a Gold Glove right fielder, took a bad route on a 334-foot fly ball from Bo Bichette in the eighth inning. It ended up being a double for Bichette, putting two runners on base for Guerrero whose homer went 111.8 mph off his bat and traveled 404 feet.

3) Boston dropped to 17-16 and lost this three-game series 2-1. The Red Sox blew this game after blowing a 6-0 lead Wednesday. They are 2-5 against the Blue Jays (who are 10-14 against everyone else) this year and finished their six-game road trip at .500 (3-3).

4) The Red Sox were in jeopardy of a major squandered opportunity in the fifth after Rob Refsnyder and David Hamilton singled to lead off the inning. Hamilton’s single advanced Refsnyder to third base. Hamilton stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out.

Carlos Narváez (pop-out to first) and Jarren Duran (strikeout on a foul tip) failed to get the run in from third. But Rafael Devers drew a six-pitch, two-out walk and Alex Bregman ripped a bases-loaded two-run double to put Boston ahead 2-0.

5) Tanner Houck dominated, allowing just one run, four hits and no walks while striking out six in 7 innings. The lone run against him came in the seventh when Daulton Varsho hit a 356-foot home run to left field.

Houck hasn’t pitched well this season (6.38 ERA). But he has allowed just two runs in 13 ⅔ innings against Toronto.

6) Houck had his best velocity of the season. His 54 sinkers averaged 95.8 mph, up from a 93.9 mph average velocity for the season. He topped out at 97.5 mph and recorded six swings and misses with it. He also got four swings and misses with his slider.

7)Kristian Campbell was scratched from the initial lineup because of right rib discomfort.

8) The Red Sox will return home from their six-game road trip Friday for the first of three games against the Twins. Right-hander Brayan Bello will start for Boston vs. Minnesota righty Joe Ryan (2-2, 3.18 ERA).

More Red Sox coverage

• Red Sox starter was throwing heat — up 2 miles per hour from average velo
• Boston Red Sox reliever breaks down blown save, loss; ‘Super frustrating’
• Red Sox’ Wilyer Abreu on missing fly ball in eighth: ‘Unacceptable’
• Red Sox’ Aroldis Chapman on Vlad stare down after 100.9 mph K: ‘Having fun’
• Kristian Campbell scratched from Boston Red Sox lineup Thursday

Read the original article on MassLive.