JD Martinez broke the tie by driving in a run to the plate after taking a hit with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Wednesday night to avoid a three-game sweep. matches.
Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer and had four RBIs, while Franchy Cordero had four hits to help Boston beat Toronto for the third time in 10 meetings this season.
With automatic runner Jackie Bradley Jr. on second base to lead off the inning, Blue Jays right-hander David Phelps (0-2) walked Rob Refnsyder and Rafael Devers to load the bases before Martinez, who hadn’t had a hit in his last 13 turns.
Bradley scored after Phelps hit Martinez in the back with a pitch on a 1-2 count. Tim Mayza came on in relief and forced Xander Bogaerts into a double play, but Verdugo followed with a two-run double that made it 6-3.
Matt Strahm (3-2) struck out Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the ninth, but gave up an RBI single by Santiago Espinal and an RBI double by Cavan Biggio in the 10th. Strahm ended the match by dominating George Springer.
For the Red Sox, Mexican Alex Verdugo 5-2 with four RBIs and one run scored. Dominicans Franchy Cordero 5-4 with a run scored; Rafael Devers 4-0 with a run scored. Puerto Rican Christian Vázquez 3-1. The Venezuelan Yolmer Sánchez 1-0.
For the Blue Jays, Dominicans Santiago Espinal 4-2 with two RBIs; Raimel Tapia 4-2 with one produced; Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 5-0; Teoscar Hernandez 1-0. Mexican Alejandro Kirk 3-0 with two runs scored. Cuban Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 3-1. The Venezuelan Gabriel Moreno 1-0.