Jays limp into All-Star break with loss to Sox

BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts homered in his first at-bat a day after hitting a walk-off grand slam and drove in two runs, leading the Boston Red Sox past the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Sunday to enter the All-Star break with their best record since 1949.

Brock Holt also drove in two runs for the AL East-leading Red Sox (6830), who own the major league’s best record and have won 12 of their last 13 games.

Boston All-Star Mookie Betts went 0 for 3, lowering his major leagueleading batting average to .359, and fellow-All Star J.D. Martinez enters the break with 29 homers and an MLB best 80 RBIs.

Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays (43-52). Toronto’s dropped seven of 10 and fell to 3-10 against the Red Sox this season.

• As the St. Louis Cardinals took stock of their situation a day after the firing of manager Mike Matheny, some players said they bear some responsibility for Matheny’s sudden dismissal.

Matheny was fired Saturday night after an 8-2 loss to the last-place Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals are in danger of missing the playoffs for a third straight season for the first time since 1999.

“We all feel bad for Mike and ultimately it comes down on us,” veteran infielder Jedd Gyorko said

Bench coach Mike Shildt will serve as interim manager