Red Sox edge Blue Jays behind Verdugo’s walk-off homer to end 9-game losing streak | CBC Sports

Alex Verdugo belted a leadoff homer in the ninth inning against Jordan Romano for his third walk-off hit this season, and the Boston Red Sox beat Toronto 6-5 on Monday night to end a nine-game losing streak to the Blue Jays.

Emmanuel Valdez hit his first major league home run, a two-run drive, and Jarren Duran added a solo shot for the Red Sox.

Masataka Yoshida had two hits with an RBI and extended his hitting streak to 11 games for Boston, which had lost its last eight games at Fenway Park against the Blue Jays.

Toronto went 16-3 against the Red Sox last season.

Verdugo also had game-ending hits on Saturday and April 14. This time, he drove a 94 m.p.h. fastball from Romano (2-2) into Boston’s bullpen in right-centre.

Boston shortstop Kike Hernandez made two throwing errors in the eighth when the Blue Jays scored two runs to tie it. The second came on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s grounder that would have been an inning-ending double play but allowed the tying run instead.

Josh Winckowski (2-0) pitched two innings of relief.

With the Red Sox trailing 3-2, Duran sent a drive into the centre-field seats off Jose Berrios. Valdez then sent a 95 m.p.h. fastball into the seats following a walk to Triston Casas.

Berrios dropped to one knee in front of the rubber as he watched Valdez’s drive sail out.

Boston starter Corey Kluber allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Kluber sandwiched walks to Danny Jansen and Kevin Kiermaier around his second strikeout of the second inning before Bichette drove a curveball into the Green Monster seats.