Kirk hits winning single in 10th, Blue Jays rally past Red Sox 7-6 in Giolito’s return

TORONTO (AP) — Alejandro Kirk hit a game-ending, bases-loaded single in the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays overcame a six-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-6 in Lucas Giolito’s return on Wednesday night, stopping a three-game losing streak.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. started the 10th as the automatic runner on second, Justin Slaten (0-1) intentionally walked Daulton Varsho and George Springer with one out and Kirk singled to left.

Jeff Hoffman (3-0) struck out three in two hitless innings.

Anthony Santander tied the score in the seventh with his fourth home run this season, a three-run drive off Garrett Whitlock.

Kirk and Varsho started the rebound from a 6-0 deficit with back-to-back homers in the sixth off Giolito, who made his Red Sox debut more than 15 months after signing a a $38.5 million. two-year contract, Giolito didn’t pitch last season because of a partial tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament, then had been sidelined since spring training due to a strained left hamstring.

Toronto began the night with 16 homers, 29th among the 30 teams, and hit three homers in a game for the first time this season.

Yariel Rodríguez’s run-scoring balk and Alex Bregman’s seventh homer built a 2-0 lead in the first, and Jarren Duran hit an RBI single in the second and scored on Rafael Devers’ double. Carlos Narváez stretched the lead to 6-0 with a two-run homer off Chad Green in the sixth.

Key moment

Kirk lined a single over Jarren Duran to end the game.

Key stat

Toronto scored more than four runs for the first time since a 6-3 win over Atlanta on April 15.

Up next

Red Sox RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 7.58 ERA) is expected to start against Toronto RHP José Berríos (1-1, 4.24) on Thursday.

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