Red Sox 3, Blue Jays 1
TORONTO -- British Columbia native Ryan Dempster allowed one run in six innings to earn the win in his first career start in Toronto as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 on Thursday.
The Red Sox (20-8) won the final two games of the three-game series and have won four of six meetings with the Blue Jays (10-19) this season.
Dempster (2-2) of Sechelt, B.C., allowed four hits, including a home run to Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., and walked three while striking out four before a crowd of 25,851 at Rogers Centre.
Joel Hanrahan pitched the ninth for his fourth save despite giving up the third single of the game for Colby Rasmus.
Left-hander J.A. Happ (2-2) took the loss.
Left-hander Andrew Miller took over for Dempster to start the seventh and allowed a single by Rasmus and a walk to Munenori Kawasaki. Junichi Tazawa took over and walked Lawrie to load the bases with two out before striking out Adam Lind.
The Red Sox scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead and moved into a 3-1 lead in the sixth when right-handed reliever Brad Lincoln walked David Ross who took second when Stephen Drew struck out on a wild pitch. Jacoby Ellsbury greeted Steve Delabar with a looping singled to left to score the run.
Toronto starter J.A. Happ allowed two runs, three hits and seven walks in 3 2/3 innings before Brad Lincoln replaced him to get the final out of the fourth with the bases loaded.
The Blue Jays took the lead when Lawrie led off the home first with his first home run of the season.
The Red Sox came back with two in the second that started with a double by Mike Napoli. After a walk to Will Middlebrooks, Mike Carp singled in a run. A walk to David Ross loaded the bases and Stephen Drew hit a sacrifice fly.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases with one out in the third on three walks but Edwin Encarnacion hit into a double play.
NOTES: The Blue Jays put right-hander Josh Johnson (right triceps inflammation) on the disabled list Thursday retroactive to April 29 and Lincoln was recalled from Class-AAA Buffalo. ... Left-hander Ricky Romero will be recalled from Class-A Dunedin to start Friday's game against the Seattle Mariners' Felix Hernandez (3-2, 1.90 ERA) in Johnson's place and another roster move will be made to make room for him. ... Red Sox right-fielder Shane Victorino (lower back tightness), who did not play in the previous six games, was not in the starting lineup Thursday but hoped to be able play Friday in the opener of a three-game series against the Rangers in Texas. ... Left-hander Felix Doubront (3-0, 4.24 ERA) will start on Friday for Boston against Texas left-hander Derek Holland (1-2, 3.38 ERA).
