Blue Jays explode in eighth inning, top Red Sox for third straight win

TORONTO — Kazuma Okamoto singled home Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning before the floodgates opened as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Boston Red Sox 6-4 for their third straight victory Wednesday.

Ernie Clement and Miles Straw, with two each, and George Springer also had RBIs for Toronto (59-63), which started play 2 1/2 games back of the Texas Rangers in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.

Tyler Rogers (2-2) got the win in relief. Louis Varland picked up his 26th save after Matt Waldron gave up two runs and recorded just one out in the top of the ninth.

Acquired from the Los Angeles Angels ahead of last week’s trade deadline, Jose Soriano struck out four and allowed one run on four hits with two walks across six innings to take a second consecutive no-decision with the Blue Jays.

Tyron Guerrero (1-2) suffered the loss in relief for Boston (64-56), which has dropped five in a row after winning nine straight.

Willson Contreras hit a solo home run.

TAKEAWAYS

Blue Jays: Manager John Schneider’s team improved to 31-31 at Rogers Centre this season. Toronto is in the middle of a seven-game homestand that will see it host the New York Yankees over the weekend.

Red Sox: The club entered Wednesday’s action 18-7 since the all-star break, 27-7 over its last 34 games, 32-9 over its last 41, and 35-12 over its last 47, good for baseball’s best record across each of those spans.

KEY MOMENT

Contreras flubbed an Okamoto pop-up in foul territory one pitch before the Toronto designated hitter drove Guerrero home with a headfirst slide and a 2-1 lead in the eighth.

KEY STAT

Boston scored more than three runs for the first time in five games after plating at least four in its five previous outings.

UP NEXT

Max Scherzer (1-4) is scheduled to start Thursday afternoon’s finale of the four-game series against Payton Tolle (7-6).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2026.