Left-hander James Paxton pitched into the eighth inning and was supported by three home runs as the visiting Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 on Friday night.
Jarren Duran hit a two-run home run for the Red Sox and also made a good catch at the center field wall. Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida added solo home runs.
In winning the opener of the three-game series, the Red Sox ended a five-game losing streak.
They have defeated the Blue Jays in all five meeting between the teams this season.
The Red Sox swept the Blue Jays in a four-game series at Boston May 1-4.
Paxton (4-1) allowed three hits and two walks in 7 2/3 innings. The native of Ladner, B.C., struck out seven.
Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (8-6) allowed four runs and five hits while striking out eight in six innings.
Turner led off the fifth with his 12th home run of the season, a drive to left on a 3-2 pitch. Berrios had retired the previous 10 batters after a first-inning single.
Paxton, who retired his first eight batters of the game before allowing a third-inning single, set the Blue Jays down in order in the home fifth. He also allowed a walk in the fourth that was erased on a double play.
Connor Wong led off the Red Sox sixth with a double to left, then Duran hit his fourth homer of the season on a drive to center. With one out, Yoshida hit a blast to right center for his ninth homer of the season.
Daulton Varsho led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single, but Boston turned a double play.
Boston had singles from Alex Verdugo and Yoshida in the eighth against Trent Thornton. Turner hit a one-out sacrifice fly against Mitch White.
Paxton allowed a single and a walk in the bottom of the eighth before Chris Martin replaced him with two outs to end the inning with a strikeout.
Boston’s Kaleb Ort pitched around an error in the ninth.
Toronto center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (back) did not play.
–Field Level Media
