TORONTO -- Shane Victorino hit a two-run single to put Boston ahead in the 11th inning Tuesday as the Red Sox went on to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2.
Victorino's two-out single off Blue Jays reliever Aaron Loup (4-5) scored Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury, helping the Red Sox (72-49) pad their lead atop the American League East.
The Red Sox offence was stymied until the seventh inning when Will Middlebrooks doubled off Blue Jays reliever Sergio Santos and then scored on a single by Ellsbury that tied the game 1-1. Dustin Pedroia brought home Ellsbury two batters later to put the Red Sox ahead 2-1.
But catcher J.P. Arencibia tied the game in the eighth for Toronto (54-65) with a solo home run off reliever Junichi Tazawa to left field that put him second on the Blue Jays' all-time homer list for a catcher with 60.
Boston starter Ryan Dempster of Gibsons, B.C., finished after seven innings of work with just the one run allowed on four hits with four strikeouts. Koji Uehara (3-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings to finish the game and pick up the win.
Blue Jays pitcher Todd Redmond, who was called up from triple-A Buffalo to start the game, was solid in his return to the majors with just three hits allowed and five strikeouts through 5 1-3 spotless innings as Toronto lost its third straight.
Redmond looked like a different pitcher than he did in his last appearance with the Blue Jays when he gave up three runs on seven hits in just 3 2-3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 2.
But the 28-year-old right-hander baffled the Red Sox with an effective slider and never looked rattled despite a high pitch count that limited his outing.
By contrast, Dempster finished the fifth inning with 61 pitches to Redmond's 86 but still gave up the first run. Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., doubled off Dempster and took third on a sacrifice fly before scoring on a single by Arencibia that gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.
Redmond lasted just eight more pitches into the sixth. He hit Victorino on his 92nd effort, then two pitches later he got Pedroia to flyout. That ended Redmond's night, and he walked off the field to applause from the 32,816 fans at Rogers Centre.
Toronto reliever Brett Cecil took over and promptly gave up a single to David Ortiz and walked Daniel Nava to load the bases. But he escaped danger by striking out Mike Napoli and getting Stephen Drew to flyout.
The Blue Jays attempted to add another run in the bottom of the sixth when Jose Reyes appeared to frustrate Dempster at second base and elicited several throws from the Boston pitcher.
Reyes' gamesmanship meant little when Edwin Encarnacion's drive to right was relayed home by Victorino, where Saltalamacchia easily tagged Reyes.
Notes: The Blue Jays placed starting pitcher Josh Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with tightness in his right forearm. Toronto called up RHP Thad Weber from triple-A Buffalo to replace Johnson. Either Weber or RHP Esmil Rogers will start in place of Johnson on Wednesday against Boston left Jon Lester (10-7, 4.37 ERA). ... Blue Jays reliever Juan Perez has elected to skip Tommy John surgery in favour of eight weeks rehab. Perez suffered a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow Friday against Oakland. ... Toronto centre-fielder Colby Rasmus was given a second straight day off with an oblique strain suffered Sunday against Oakland. Manager John Gibbons said prior to the game he hopes Rasmus plays Wednesday but didn't rule out a trip to the disabled list.
