Happ wins 18th, Blue Jays inch closer to first
TORONTO -- Melvin Upton Jr. hit a two-run homer, J.A. Happ allowed two runs in six-plus innings to earn his 18th win and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Saturday afternoon to end a four-game losing streak.
The Blue Jays (78-63) moved to within one game of the first-place Red Sox (79-62) in the American League East with the rubber match in the three-game series to be played Sunday.
Happ (18-4) allowed four hits and one walk. The left-hander struck out five.
Dustin Pedroia homered for the Red Sox.
Toronto closer Roberto Osuna pitched around a leadoff walk to Hanley Ramirez in the ninth to earn his 31st save of the season. Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-7) allowed four hits, two walks and three runs (two earned) while striking out five in six innings.
Russell Martin led off the bottom of the second with a walk and he scored on the 20th home run of the season by Upton, a shot to left on a 1-1 fastball.
The Blue Jays took a 3-0 lead in the third on a bloop RBI single to enter by Jose Bautista. It scored Josh Donaldson who reached first on a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop and took third on an error by third baseman Aaron Hill.
The Red Sox did not have a hit until Chris Young's one-out single in the fifth. Happ retired the next two hitters to end the inning.
Pedroia led off the sixth with his 13th homer of the season, a drive off the foul pole in left. It extended his hitting streak against Toronto to 28 games.
Happ was replaced by Joaquin Benoit after Ramirez and Hill opened the seventh with singles to put runners at the corners.
Young fouled out to right and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to right that Bautista hauled in at the wall to cut the Toronto lead to 3-2. Pinch-hitter Travis Shaw stuck out to end the inning.
Matt Barnes replaced Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed one-out singles to Kevin Pillar and Devon Travis. The third hit of the game for Travis extended his hit streak to seven games and put runners at the corners.
Donaldson lined out to shortstop and Edwin Encarnacion lined out to right to end the threat.
Toronto reliever Jason Grilli pitched around an error by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the top of the eighth.
Joe Kelly pitched the bottom of the eighth for Boston, allowing only a walk.
NOTES: The Blue Jays held a players-only meeting before batting practice Saturday after a sloppy 13-3 loss Friday in the opener of the three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. ... Toronto C Russell Martin (left knee) returned to the lineup Saturday after resting his sore knee Friday. C Dioner Navarro was behind the plate Friday and had two passed balls while going 0-for-4 at the plate. ... Toronto RF Jose Bautista was in right field Saturday after being used as DH on Friday. ... Boston INF Aaron Hill started at third base for the 25th game Saturday since joining the Red Sox in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on July 7. ... Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 2.92 ERA) will face Boston RHP Clay Buchholz (6-10, 4.99 ERA) in the series finale Sunday.