Toronto hits four home runs off Chris Sale, five overall.
BOSTON — The left-hander was dominant again, but Red Sox fans were not cheering.
J.A. Happ shut down Boston at Fenway Park as the Blue Jays enjoyed a 9-4 win Tuesday night before a crowd of 33,999.
Happ (10-11) held the Red Sox to one run on four hits over seven innings. He struck out nine and walked none. At one point, Happ retired 16 straight.
Happ’s performance outdid Boston lefty Chris Sale (17-8), who lasted only five innings, giving up five runs, all via the homer. Josh Donaldson (two), Teoscar Hernandez and Kendrys Morales (two-run blast) all took Sale deep, the first time he’s allowed four home runs in one game.
Hernandez hit a second home run in the eighth inning.
With their second straight loss to the Blue Jays, the Red Sox are 91-66. The Yankees (88-69) beat the Rays 6-1 and are three games behind.
Happ has had success against the Red Sox. In his last eight starts, he is 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA
Sale had pitched well against the Blue Jays this year (no earned runs in three games), but not Tuesday.
His results in the first inning were mixed – three strikeouts, but also a home run allowed to Donaldson
Xander Bogaerts led off the game with an infield single and scored on Chris Young’s double. But no more Boston players reached base until Bogaerts’ infield single in the sixth.
Meanwhile, the Jays were getting to Sale. Donaldson’s second solo shot came in the third.
Hernandez led off the fifth with his homer. Jose Bautista doubled with two outs and Morales followed with his 28th home run.
Relievers Joe Kelly and Heath Hembree allowed four runs in the eighth, including a three-run homer by Hernandez off Hembree.
Boston scored three off Toronto’s bullpen in the eighth, off Sandy Leon’s home run, Rajai Davis’ RBI double and Hanley Ramirez’s RBI single.
NOTES: Boston was without Mookie Betts (swollen wrist), Dustin Pedroia (swollen knee) and Eduardo Nunez (sore knee). Betts and Pedroia are day-to-day. Nunez has no timetable.
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