Martinez home run helps lift Red Sox to 5-3 win over Toronto Blue Jays
J.D. Martinez delivered a two-run home run and later singled in a run as the Boston Red Sox edged the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Sunday at the Rogers Centre.
Mitch Moreland also drove in a run for the Red Sox on a bases-loaded walk as Boston (28-12) took two of three from the Blue Jays and have won six of 10 overall.
Justin Smoak had a tworun double and Russell Martin drove in a run for the Blue Jays (21-20), who have dropped seven of their last eight Mother’s Day games. Toronto has lost six of 10 overall.
Joe Biagini (0-2), making his third start of the season, went 4 2/3 innings allowing four earned runs on four hits while striking out three and walking three.
Martinez got to Biagini early taking the right-hander’s first pitch fastball over the wall in right field for a two-run home run, his 10th of the season, in the first.
Red Sox right-fielder Mookie Betts showed off his defensive skills in the bottom half of the fourth running down a Richard Urena fly ball and making a diving catch just in front of the wall in foul territory. With John Axford on in relief, Martinez drove in Andrew Benintendi with a single to right giving Boston a 4-0 cushion.
Toronto finally got to Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz in the fifth as Smoak doubled off the wall in centre field, driving in a pair and cutting Boston’s lead in half.
Two batters later, with Hector Velazquez on in relief, Martin pulled the Blue Jays to within one with an RBI single. Velazquez (5-0) allowed two hits over two innings while striking out two for the win.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season.
With Toronto trailing 4-3 in the seventh, Yangervis Solarte thought he had the game’s tying run while trying to score from first on a Martin double, but the Blue Jays second baseman couldn’t beat the Red Sox relay and was tagged out at home.
Benintendi gave Boston a 5-3 lead scoring on a Xander Bogaerts ground out in the eighth.