Red Sox back Paxton with 3 home runs, snap 5-game skid with win over Blue Jays

By Ian Harrison, Associated Press

TORONTO — Jarren Duran hit a two-run homer, James Paxton and two relievers combined on a three-hitter and the Boston Red Sox snapped a season-worst five-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 on Friday night.

Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida each hit a solo home run and Turner added a sacrifice fly for Boston, which totaled four runs in its previous four games.

Paxton (4-1) pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings for his third straight win as the Red Sox improved to 5-0 against the Blue Jays. Toronto won 16 of 19 meetings last season.

In his previous start last weekend at the Chicago White Sox, Paxton left after four innings because of a sore right knee. Against Toronto, the Canadian-born lefty set down the first eight batters in order and didn’t allow a runner to reach second base until the eighth inning. He walked two and struck out seven.

Chris Martin replaced Paxton with runners at first and second and struck out pinch-hitter Brandon Belt to end the eighth. Kaleb Ort finished for the Red Sox.

Toronto is 7-18 against AL East opponents. The Blue Jays were blanked for the third time this season and the second time in four games. Toronto lost 3-0 to San Francisco on Tuesday.

Turner opened the scoring with a leadoff home run in the fifth, his 12th.

Duran connected after Connor Wong’s leadoff double in the sixth, his fourth. Two batters later, Yoshida launched one over the Boston bullpen in right field, his ninth.

All three homers came off Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos (8-6), matching a career worst. It’s the eighth time Berríos has given up three home runs.

Berríos allowed four runs and five hits in six innings to lose for the second time in three starts. He walked none and struck out eight.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (Tommy John surgery) is set to make his first minor league rehab start Tuesday, either in the rookie-level Florida Complex League or the Class A Florida State League. Ryu last pitched for Toronto on June 1, 2022.

WEB GEM

Duran made a leaping catch at the center-field wall to retire Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the final out of the first inning.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (7-2, 3.75 ERA) starts for Toronto in Saturday afternoon’s Canada Day game. RHP Kutter Crawford (2-4, 4.01) goes for the Red Sox. Boston will face a left-handed starter for the fourth time in six games.