Martinez lifts Red Sox over Blue Jays

For once the Blue Jays bats got to Red Sox ace Chris Sale.

Unfortunately for Toronto, the Jays couldn’t keep Boston’s offence in check in a 5-4 loss at Rogers Centre on Thursday night.

Sale (2-1), who allowed three runs on four hits while striking out four and walking two, had pitched 23 scoreless innings in Toronto entering the start.

“He’s tough, he’s one of the best pitchers in the game and we scored some runs,” said Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada. “The hitters did what they’re supposed to do, they did their job and I basically let them down that fifth inning.

“It’s unfortunate. Could’ve been a much better night for us. Should’ve won today.”

J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer in the fifth as the Red Sox took two of three from the Blue Jays. Andrew Benintendi delivered an RBI double and Rafael Devers drove in a run on a sacrifice fly for the Red Sox (19-5).

Estrada (2-2) went five innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one. The right-hander got Mitch Moreland swinging with a 90 m.p.h. fastball to lead off the second inning to reach 1,000 career strikeouts.

“I thought his stuff was good,” said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “He was kind of in and out. I thought he pitched some guys really tough.

“Then one of their stars got us. That’s what they do. I think he left it up and hit that line drive to right field, but those are the kinds of things we’ll do too.”

Justin Smoak and Devon Travis went yard for the Blue Jays (14-10), while Kevin Pillar’s sac fly scored a run. Toronto has now dropped four of five.

Travis tripled and later scored in the seventh on a Kendrys Morales ground out, but that’s as close as the Blue Jays would get to retaking the lead.