(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox try to continue their recent mastery of the Toronto Blue Jays when the teams resume their three-game series this evening at Rogers Centre,
Boston won for the eighth time in 10 chances against its American League East foes in Tuesday's opener of this set, as Mike Lowell hit the go-ahead home run and Jed Lowrie added an insurance RBI double in the eighth inning that lifted the Red Sox to a 7-5 win.
Lowrie and Lowell both drove in two runs, while David Ortiz doubled twice and J.D. Drew homered for the Red Sox, who were coming off a four-game split with the Yankees in the Bronx.
Boston reliever Felix Doubront (1-1) coughed up the lead in the sixth but was credited with the win, while Jonathan Papelbon turned in a scoreless ninth for his 29th save. Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka worked 5 2/3 frames, allowing six hits and four runs with seven strikeouts.
"Tonight was just a microcosm of our season," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona afterward. "We kept on playing and we ended up doing a lot of good things. We just found ways to come back and win."
Travis Snider doubled and hit a three-run homer while Jose Bautista and Adam Lind hit solo shots for the Blue Jays, who lost for only the second time in their last seven games overall.
Shawn Camp (3-2) took the loss after allowing three hits and two runs while recording two outs in the eighth. Ricky Romero got the start for Toronto and was battered for eight hits and five runs in six innings.
"I let up too many opportunities early in the game," Romero admitted. "I let them come back every time I made a mistake. When I kept the ball down I did pretty good, but they hit every pitch I didn't get."
Heading to the hill for the Red Sox tonight will be righty Clay Buchholz, who has won four of his last five decisions. Buchholz picked up a win on Friday against the Yankees, holding them to three runs and nine hits in 7 1/3 frames as he improved to 12-5 on the year to go along with a 2/66 ERA.
Buchholz beat the Jays the last time he faced them and is 4-3 with a 3.30 ERA in eight games (seven starts) against them.
Toronto, meanwhile, will counter with righty Shaun Marcum, who is 10-5 with a 3.44 ERA. Marcum was hammered by the Yankees his last time out last Wednesday, however, as he allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings.
"It was one of those days you had to battle," said Marcum, who surrendered Alex Rodriguez's 600th home run in that loss.
Marcum tossed seven scoreless innings to beat the Red Sox back on May 12 and is 5-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 13 games (eight starts) against them.