Martinez's 2-run homer in 9th lifts Red Sox over Jays 8-7

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in a three-run ninth inning, and Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 on Thursday night.

Alex Verdugo had an RBI grounder before Martinez connected on his 250th homer. The two-out drive came off Rafael Dolis (1-1), making his second appearance since returning from a right calf injury.

Martinez shouted and repeatedly pumped his fists while rounding the bases. He stopped a 12-game homerless drought Wednesday.

Phillips Valdez (2-1) went 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Matt Barnes worked the ninth to get his 10th save in 11 chances. After walking Rowdy Tellez, Barnes struck out Danny Jansen with a 98 mph full-count fastball.

Boston (27-18) held onto the AL East lead. Toronto dropped to 10-7 at TD Ballpark, where the Blue Jays have four more home games cause by Canadian government coronavirus travel restrictions. Toronto shifts home games next month to its Triple-A affiliate's ballpark in Buffalo, New York.

Jonathan Davis and Randal Grichuk had RBI singles off Hirokazu Sawamura in the sixth as the Blue Jays went up 7-5. Grichuk’s hit came after shortstop Xander Bogaerts made a diving grab on Teoscar Hernández’s two-out grounder, but second baseman Michael Chavis was charged with an error for dropping a flip toss.

A match up of five-game winners turned into offensive fireworks early.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Grichuk had RBI doubles off Nick Pivetta in the first, and the Red Sox had seven straight batters reach with two outs during a five-run second against Steven Matz.

Bobby Dalbec hit an opposite-field three-run homer that struck the right-field pole, and Kiké Hernández and Martinez contributed run-scoring singles.

After Bo Bichette had a second-inning double, Cavan Biggio had an RBI single...

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