Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 4
TORONTO -- Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez each had two RBIs and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 on Saturday.
Jose Bautista hit his first two homers of the season and had four RBIs but it was not enough for the Blue Jays (2-4), who have lost four in a row.
The homers accounted for all four runs scored against right-hander Rick Porcello (1-0), who allowed seven hits and one walk while striking out seven over six innings in his season debut.
Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey (1-1) allowed seven runs (six earned) in five innings on eight hits and two walks. The knuckleballer struck out nine.
The Red Sox used two three-run innings in defeating the Blue Jays for the second game in a row.
Bautista's first homer of the season followed Josh Donaldson's single and gave the Blue Jays a 2-0 first-inning lead.
The Red Sox scored three runs in the third.
Rusney Castillo grounded a leadoff single through the left side and Blake Swihart walked. Dickey's errant pickoff throw to second moved the runners to second and third.
Pedroia grounded out to second to score one run.
Xander Bogaerts and Travis Shaw each hit RBI doubles and Boston led 3-2.
The Blue Jays regained the lead 4-3 when Bautista hit his second homer of the game after Donaldson doubled. It was the 29th career multi-homer game for the Blue Jays right fielder.
The Red Sox tied the game at 4 with an unearned run in the fourth.
Brock Holt reached first base with one out on a passed ball after striking out. Castillo doubled and Swihart hit a sacrifice fly to left.
The Red Sox had their second three-run inning of the game in the fifth.
Pedroia singled, Bogaerts walked and, with one out, Ramirez was credited with a two-run triple when his hit to right bounced over Bautista and to the wall. Ramirez scored on a passed ball.
The Red Sox scored a run against right-hander Arnold Leon in the sixth on a one-out single by Mookie Betts and a double by Pedroia.
Right-hander Koji Uehara pitched the seventh for Boston and left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. took over in the eighth.
NOTES: Toronto LHP Franklin Morales warmed up Friday but manager John Gibbons said the reliever "felt something" and was not used in the game. RHP Jesse Chavez pitched instead, allowing a grand slam to Boston INF/OF Brock Holt. The problem with Morales is not considered serious at this stage. ...Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson started as the designated hitter for the second straight game Saturday. He has a strained right calf muscle but said it feels better and he could return to the field soon. Donaldson hit the first grand slam by a Blue Jays player in a home opener on Friday. ... Boston C Christian Vazquez (elbow surgery) caught nine innings for Triple-A Pawtucket on his rehabilitation assignment Friday and was 1-for-2 with a double and two walks. ... Boston RHP Steven Wright (season debut) will start the finale of the three-game series Sunday against RHP Marco Estrada (season debut).