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Ortiz and Bradley HR, Red Sox top Toronto for 3rd win in row

Jul 1, 2015 - 6:38 AM TORONTO (AP) Minus injured stars Hanley Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia, the Boston Red Sox managed to match their longest winning streak of the season.

David Ortiz and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit solo home runs, Eduardo Rodriguez pitched six solid innings and the Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 Tuesday night for their third straight win.

''Guys have stepped up,'' manager John Farrell said. ''More than anything, we're getting stability from the guys that walk to the mound and that's the biggest key.''

Rodriguez (4-2) gave up one run and four hits in six innings, slowing down the top-scoring team in the majors. The left-hander had been tagged for 16 earned runs in his previous three starts.

''We didn't get anything going,'' Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. ''We battled him good but just couldn't come up with that big hit.''

Rodriguez is 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA in four road starts.

''He pitched great tonight,'' Bradley said. ''He definitely gave us a chance to win. He was very effective. What more can you ask from him?''

Ramirez missed his sixth straight game with a sore left hand but hit in the cage and took batting practice before the game.

''I would expect him in the lineup tomorrow,'' Farrell said.

Pedroia is on the 15-day DL with a sore right hamstring.

Tommy Layne gave up a two-run homer to Jose Reyes in the seventh, Alexi Ogando got four outs and Koji Uehara finished for his 18th save.

Marco Estrada (5-4) had taken no-hit bids into the eighth inning in each of his previous two starts. He walked Mike Napoli and Alejandro De Aza with the bases loaded in the first.

''I couldn't locate anything,'' Estrada said.

Bradley hit a leadoff homer in the second and Ortiz opened the third with his 479th career home run for a 4-0 lead. Two batters later, Todd Redmond replaced Estrada after Napoli singled.

Bradley's homer was his first since May 31, 2014. He'd gone 248 at-bats without one, but didn't pause to admire his drive.

''With me, I barely get them over the fence,'' he said. ''I don't really have time to sit there and look at it. ''

Estrada ended a stretch of six unbeaten starts. He allowed four runs, two earned, and three hits in 2 1-3 innings in his shortest start of the season.

Edwin Encarnacion ended a streak of nine consecutive outs by Rodriguez when he doubled and scored on Chris Colabello's single in the fourth.

Reyes cut it to 4-3 when he connected off Layne in the seventh.

Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista went 0 for 3 with a walk and is hitless in 24 at-bats.

SOX SIGN FIVE

Boston signed five players from this month's draft, including first-round pick Andrew Benintendi. The outfielder, who was drafted seventh overall, won both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball's top player this season.

PLATOON PLAN

Farrell said De Aza could platoon with Shane Victorino in right once Victorino (left calf) comes off the DL, which could happen Friday. De Aza entered Tuesday's game with a .317 average in 20 games since joining the Red Sox.

QUICK OFF THE MARK

Boston is 26-11 when scoring first.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: C Ryan Hanigan (broken right hand) is eligible to come off the 60-day DL Wednesday. ''I would anticipate him being here and ready to go,'' Farrell said.

Blue Jays: Manager John Gibbons said RHP Aaron Sanchez, out since June 5 with a strained muscle in his back, might return to the bullpen when he's healthy. Sanchez had a 1.09 ERA in 24 relief appearances in 2014. He's made 11 starts this season.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (4-8, 5.54 ERA) has lost six straight decisions and is winless since a May 16 victory at Seattle. He beat the Blue Jays the lone time he faced them this season, allowing one run in seven innings in an April 29 game in Toronto.

Blue Jays: LHP Mark Buehrle (8-4, 3.81 ERA) seeks to win his fourth straight decision. He hasn't lost since May 23 against Seattle, a span of six starts. He's facing the Red Sox for the first time this season.