Dustin Pedroia (2-or-4) hit a solo home run and the Boston Red Sox (1-3) rallied from a one-run deficit in the ninth inning to score three runs and claim their first victory of the new season, 4-2, over the Toronto Blue Jays (2-2) on Monday evening at Rogers Centre.
Two runs in the third inning put the Blue Jays up 2-0, a lead which would hold through the top of the ninth. Boston struck for three in the top of the ninth, and Toronto didn't have an answer in the bottom half in its home opener in front of a nearly full crowd of 48,473.
Pedroia's home run came in the sixth inning, cutting Toronto's lead to 2-1. Later in the ninth, Adrian Gonzalez (0-for-2, BB) hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Pedroia, who doubled earlier in the inning. Ryan Sweeney singled to right, which scored Darnell McDonald to give Boston a 3-2 lead and Cody Ross would score on a Sergio Santos wild pitch, making it a 4-2 lead.
Felix Doubront pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, three walks and struck out six. Scott Atchison (W, 1-0) pitched three innings in relief, providing Boston with its best stint out of the bullpen all season, giving up only one hit and zero earned runs while punching out three. Alfredo Aceves (S, 1) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save.
Henderson Alvarez pitched six innings and allowed four hits, one walk, one earned run on a home run and had two strikeouts. Santos was the losing pitcher and blew his second save of the season, giving up three earned runs on two hits and three walks in two thirds of an inning. Kelly Johnson was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk for Toronto.
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