TORONTO (AP) — Rick Porcello pitched seven innings to become the first 20-game winner in the majors, Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run homer and the Boston Red Sox increased their AL East lead to two games by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 13-3 on Friday night.
Xander Bogaerts homered and Dustin Pedroia had three hits and four RBIs as the Red Sox used 18 hits to rough up the sloppy, slumping Blue Jays in the opener of a pivotal three-game series between the division’s top two teams.
Porcello (20-3) allowed two runs and six hits to become Boston’s first 20-game winner since Josh Beckett in 2007. Porcello came in 6-7 with a 5.27 ERA in 15 career games against Toronto but kept the Blue Jays in check.
The Red Sox broke it open by scoring six runs in a 10-batter seventh. Bogaerts hit a leadoff drive off Scott Feldman, his 18th. Three batters later, Ramirez connected off Feldman, his 22nd. Pedroia capped the rally with a two-run single off Ryan Tepera.
Boston (79-61) surpassed its win total from a last-place finish in 2015, when it went 78-84.
Toronto, which was swept in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium earlier this week, fell to 1-6 in September. The Blue Jays had won six of their previous eight against the Red Sox.
Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (8-8) allowed four runs, three earned, and six hits in 2 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. The last time Estrada failed to finish three innings was June 30, 2015, also a home loss to Boston.
Estrada is 3-5 with a 5.32 ERA in nine starts since being named an All-Star for the first time. He missed the All-Star Game after being placed on the disabled list because of a sore back.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: OF Andrew Benintendi (left knee) ran the bases before the game and will try sliding as early as Saturday. “A very good day for him,” manager John Farrell said. There is still no timetable for Benintendi’s return. … Boston recalled LHP Henry Owens from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Blue Jays: C Russell Martin (left knee) was held out of the lineup. Martin aggravated the injury in Wednesday’s loss at New York and was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the ninth. “He’s still pretty sore,” manager John Gibbons said.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-6, 4.83) has a 2.73 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break. Rodriguez is winless in his past five outings.
Blue Jays: LHP J.A. Happ (17-4, 3.44) is winless in three starts since his 11-game winning streak ended Aug. 25. Happ won his only start against Boston this season, allowing one run in seven innings.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.