TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston left-hander James Paxton pitched into the eighth inning and was supported by three home runs as the visiting Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0.
Jarren Duran hir 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 in a row 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.