Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero reacts after a double by Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz in the third inning of MLB baseball action in Toronto Tuesday, August 10, 2010.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
The Toronto Blue Jays watched a winnable game elude their grasp at Rogers Centre on Tuesday night.
The Boston Red Sox provided the opposition, one of the teams the Blue Jays need to overhaul if they hope to realize their slender ambitions of capturing the American League wildcard playoff spot.
But it was Boston (65-49) that persevered, flashing some late power to earn a 7-5 win in the first of a three-game set, snapping a three-game Toronto (59-53) win streak in the process before 27,690 fans at Rogers Centre.
A three-run home run by Travis Snider in the fourth inning off Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, his eighth of the season, tied the game at 4-4, and appeared to provide the Blue Jays with some momentum.
"It definitely was a dog fight out there, a tough one to lose for us," said Snider, who doubled in the ninth inning but was left stranded on second base. "I think we showed some heart down the stretch and had a few opportunities that we just weren't able to take advantage of.
"Just one of those games, put it behind us."
After falling behind again on J.D. Drew's 13th home run of the year in the fifth inning, Jose Bautista replied in kind in the seventh, belting his Major League-leading 35th of the season to left field to once again pull the Blue Jays even.
But the Blue Jays bullpen let it slip away as Shawn Camp (2-3) came on in relief in the eighth inning to take the loss, surrendering a two-out solo home run shot to Mike Lowell that lifted the Red Sox in front for good.
Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon came on in the ninth inning to protect the lead and gave up a one-out double to Snider.
The crowd got amped up when the next batter was Bautista, who represented the tying run, but there was no thunder in his big bat this time around as he grounded out to second.
Aaron Hill then popped out to right to give Papelbon his 29th save.
Snider said he doesn't see the game as one Toronto will look back on as one that got away.
"I don't think you can put that much emphasis on one game, "he said. "I think any time you're in this division you want to win every game possible, especially against the Red Sox, the Yankees and the Rays.
"Again, it's one baseball game. We've got quite a few more to play."
Ricky Romero got the start for Toronto and save for a three-run Red Sox second inning off four hits - including three doubles - pitched decently.
"I felt like I battled," said Romero, who allowed five Boston runs off eight hits through six innings but didn't factor in the decision. "I think I gave them too many opportunities early in the game.
"I went back and looked at the tape and I think all their hits were mistakes up in the zone and I think I settled down pretty good towards the end. I started feeling better as the game went on."
Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar was a late scratch from the game with a sore right knee and John McDonald got the start in his place.
"It's something that he might be ready to play [on Wednesday] then again he might not," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said of Escobar. "It's just sore, sore from sliding."