Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 3
TORONTO -- Rich Hill struck out 10 in seven innings, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Sunday.
The Red Sox (71-77) won the rubber match of the three-game series and also took the season series with the Blue Jays 10-9.
The Blue Jays (85-64) entered the game with a 3 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the American League East.
Hill (1-0) allowed seven hits, no walks and three runs. The left-hander was making his second start of the season for Boston after spending the season in Triple-A. One of the hits was a homer by Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro.
Left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. pitched the ninth to earn his fourth save of the season. He allowed a two-out double to pinch hitter Russell Martin. Ezequiel Carrera ran for Martin and pinch hitter Justin Smoak struck out to end the game.
Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle allowed eight hits, two walks and three runs while striking out one in six innings. He did not factor in the decision.
Left-hander Brett Cecil (3-5) allowed an unearned run to take the loss. He entered the game on a streak of 25 1/3 innings without allowing a run.
The Blue Jays took a 3-0 lead in the second. Two of the runs came on the fourth homer of the season by Navarro. The catcher's homer came with one out after designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion led off the inning with a single.
Center fielder Kevin Pillar followed the homer with a bunt single and shortstop Ryan Goins singled to left. Left fielder Ben Revere hit an RBI single with two out.
The Red Sox scored a run in the fourth on a throwing error by Buehrle.
Xander Bogaerts led off with an infield single to Goins who made a fine diving play but was unable to make the throw.
The Red Sox shortstop came around to score on a groundout to first by designated hitter David Ortiz. Bogaerts continued running to third as the out was made. Buehrle, who took the throw at the bag from first baseman Chris Colabello, made an errant throw to third and Bogaerts scored.
The Red Sox tied the game at 3 in the fifth on a two-run, two-out single by first baseman Travis Shaw.
Bradley led off with a single and was forced at second by right fielder Mookie Betts. Bogaerts singled with two out and Ortiz walked to load the bases for Shaw.
Cecil, who struck out Ortiz and Shaw to end the seventh, committed an error on a weak ground ball by Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval to open the eighth.
Right-hander Mark Lowe replaced Cecil. Sandoval took second on a groundout to third by left fielder Rusney Castillo. Catcher Sandy Leon singled to right and Sandoval moved to third. Bradley hit a sacrifice fly to center to put the Red Sox into a 4-3 lead as Navarro could not handle Pillar's throw home.
Right-hander Noe Ramirez replaced Hill for the eighth inning and pitched around a two-out single by Encarnacion and an error by Shaw on a pickoff attempt that put pinch runner Dalton Pompey at second.
NOTES: Red Sox 3B Pedro Sandoval returned to the lineup Sunday after missing the first two games of the series because of illness. ... The Blue Jays lost when leading after eight innings for the first time this season Saturday when the Red Sox scored five ninth-inning runs for a 7-6 victory. It was Boston's first win of the season when trailing after eight innings. ... The Blue Jays open a three-game series with the New York Yankees on Monday at Rogers Centre that could be pivotal in deciding the American League East. LHP David Price (16-5, 2.42 ERA) will open for the Blue Jays against Yankees RHP Adam Warren (6-6, 3.33 ERA). ... The Red Sox open a four-game series against Tampa Bay on Monday at Fenway Park and will start LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-6, 3.94 ERA) against Rays RHP Chris Archer (12-12, 2.95).