Toronto Blue Jays Alex Gonzalez (L) tags out Boston Red Sox runner David Ortiz (C) as second base umpire Mark Carlson calls him out during the fourth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto, July 10, 2010.MARK BLINCH/Reuters
Alex Gonzalez drove in three runs with a double and a home run as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 9-5 on Saturday afternoon.
Shawn Camp (3-1) picked up the victory in relief as the Blue Jays ended a string of seven consecutive losses to the Red Sox at Rogers Centre dating back to last Aug. 18. The Red Sox are 6-2 against the Blue Jays this season.
Jose Bautista hit his major-league leading 24th homer of the season in the eighth, and Adam Lind hit his 12th of the season in the sixth.
Gonzalez tied the game 5-5 in the fourth with his 17th homer of the season before a crowd of 35,037 and Fred Lewis put the Blue Jays into the lead with a two-run double in the fifth against John Lackey (9-5).
Kevin Gregg pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 20th save of the season.
Toronto starter Brandon Morrow lasted only four innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter.
Lackey was worse, allowing seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings on eight hits and six walks and he contributed a wild pitch. He left after Lewis's tie-breaking double.
The Red Sox scored an unearned run in the first that began with third baseman Edwin Encarnacion's error on leadoff hitter Marco Scutaro's grounder.
Morrow walked David Ortiz, gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis and walked J.D. Drew with the bases loaded.
The Blue Jays answered with three runs in the first on doubles by Lewis and Gonzalez, walks to Bautista and Vernon Wells and a single by Lind. Encarnacion popped out with the bases loaded and one out to help squelch the rally and Jose Molina applied the finishing touch with a fly out.
The Red Sox took a 4-3 lead with three runs in the second on four successive hits - singles by Gustavo Molina and Scutaro, a two-run double by Daniel Nova and a double by Ortiz.
Scutaro's third-inning single scored Mike Cameron who was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second on Bill Hall`s single.
The Blue Jays tied the game 5-5 in the fourth when Gonzalez homered after Lewis walked.
Aaron Hill's leadoff double, Lyle Overbay's walk, a wild pitch and a check-swing double by Lewis scored two runs in the fifth.
Lind's homer added to the Blue Jays' lead in the sixth. It came against left-hander Dustin Richardson who replaced right-hander Scott Atchison to face him.
Notes: Cameron and Red Sox manager Terry Francona were ejected in the seventh after arguing about a third called strike on the centre fielder. ...Bautista picked up his team-leading eighth outfield assist in the fourth when he threw out Ortiz trying to stretch his single to right into a double. ...Right-handed starter Shaun Marcum who is on the disabled list with a sore elbow will throw a side session on Sunday. ...Wells said he did not know who will throw to him in the home-run derby at the all-star Game but said he will ask catcher John Buck who also will be going to the game. "I'm going to give him a shot and see what he's featuring," Wells said. ...Daisuke Matsuyama (5-3, 4.71 earned-run average) will oppose Jesse Litsch (0-3, 7.30 ERA) in the final game for both teams before the all-star Game break. ...The Blue Jays come back from the break with a 10-game trip to Baltimore, Kansas City and Detroit. ...last season after 88 games, the Blue Jays were 44-44.