TORONTO — Rowdy Tellez hit a two-run home run, Cavan Biggio and Reese McGuire added solo shots and the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
Biggio walked twice and scored twice, and McGuire had two hits.
Mookie Betts homered for the Red Sox, who have lost four straight. Boston’s three-year run atop the AL East ended with Monday’s 5-0 home loss to the Yankees.
Justin Shafer (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings as Toronto won for the first time since Aug. 31. After Houston’s Justin Verlander no-hit the Blue Jays on September 1, Toronto lost twice at Atlanta and was swept in a four-game series at Tampa Bay.
Derek Law pitched one inning, Tim Mayza got two outs in the eighth and Jordan Romano got the third, and Ken Giles finished in the ninth for his 19th save in 20 opportunities.
Blue Jays rookie right-hander T.J. Zeuch followed opener Wilmer Font in his debut outing at Atlanta last week. This time, the right-hander gave up a solo home run to Betts on his first pitch of the game. The Red Sox slugger lined one off the foul screen in left for his 28th homer. It was Betts’ 20th career leadoff homer.
Zeuch is the 20th pitcher to start a game for the Blue Jays this season, tied for the second-most in baseball history. The Philadelphia Athletics used 24 starters in 1915, according to STATS.
Toronto tied it on BIggio’s homer in the third, his 13th, and took the lead on McGuire’s blast in the fourth, his fifth.
J.D. Martinez chased Zeuch with an RBI double in the fifth and Andrew Benintendi made it 3-2 with a two-out RBI single off Buddy Boshers, but Toronto answered in the bottom half when Tellez greeted reliever Josh Taylor (1-2) with 18th home run of the season and sixth in 10 games against Boston.
Boston’s Rafael Devers hit his 50th double in the fifth, becoming the youngest Red Sox player to reach the mark. It’s the ninth 50-double season in Red Sox history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Manager Alex Cora said LHP David Price (cyst, left wrist) continues to throw but is unlikely to return to the mound during the current road trip. Price pitched two innings against the Angels on Sept. 1, his first action since Aug. 4, but was scratched from Friday’s start against the Yankees. Cora said Price could pitch again when the Red Sox return home next week. … SS Xander Boagerts (rest) got the day off. Cora said other regulars are likely to sit periodically as the season winds down.
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