Boston Red Sox’ J. D. Martinez strikes out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019 in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO — Trent Thornton and three others combined on a two-hitter, Teoscar Hernández and Rowdy Tellez homered, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 8-0 Wednesday night.
The slumping Red Sox have lost five straight. They had just four baserunners, and none advanced past second base.
Thornton (5-9) followed an opener with five hitless innings, walking one and striking out seven in his first career relief appearance. He is the second pitcher in Blue Jays history to pitch five hitless innings of relief. Right-hander Roy Lee Jackson did it against Minnesota on Sept. 28, 1982.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three RBIs and Cavan Biggio had two hits and scored twice as the Blue Jays won their second straight following a season-long seven game losing streak.
Rafael Devers and Brock Holt each had singles for the Red Sox, who were blanked for the second time in three games. Boston also failed to get an extra-base hit, ending a 159-game streak that was as the fourth longest in baseball history.
Blue Jays opener Wilmer Font allowed a hit during the first two innings, and Jason Adam and Ryan Tepera pitched an inning each after Thornton.
Toronto first baseman Brandon Drury made a diving play on Devers’ hard grounder down the line in the ninth, throwing to second to force out Chris Owings.
Held hitless through the first three innings, the Blue Jays scored twice in the fourth against right-hander Trevor Kelley (0-1). Biggio reached on a bloop double and stole third before scoring on Guerrero’s sacrifice fly. Tellez followed with a drive to right, his 19th and seventh in 11 games against the Red Sox. Tellez hit a go-ahead two-run homer in Toronto’s 4-3 win Tuesday.
Toronto scored six more in a bat-around fifth against a trio of relievers, with six of seven batters getting hits at one stretch. Guerrero hit a two-run single off Ryan Weber, Randal Grichuk hit a two-run double off Travis Lakins, and Hernandez capped it with a drive to left, his 22nd, also off Lakins
Left-hander Bobby Poyner opened for the Red Sox, the first start of his big league career and just his fourth as a professional. Poyner struck out two in two perfect innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP David Price (left wrist) threw a 20-pitch bullpen before the game. Price was scratched from Friday’s start against the Yankees. … RHP Heath Hembree (right elbow) also threw a bullpen session before the game. … OF Mookie Betts got the day off.
Blue Jays: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (left quadriceps) felt sore after running before Tuesday’s game. Gurriel has been out since Aug. 9
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (3-10, 5.66) was pushed back a day to open Thursday’s series finale. Chacin made his Boston debut as an opener against the Yankees on Sept. 6, striking out four in two scoreless innings.
Blue Jays: RHP Clay Buchholz (1-4, 5.31) faces his former team for the first time Thursday. Buchholz went 81-61 over 206 games in 10 seasons with the Red Sox.
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