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Blue Jays outslug Red Sox, 11-10

Sep 8, 2011 - 5:31 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run, go-ahead double with two down in the eighth inning, as the Blue Jays edged the Red Sox, 11-10, in the continuation of a four-game series.

The Red Sox led 8-6 entering the frame and starter Tim Wakefield was in line for his 200th career win, but Daniel Bard (2-6) walked home two runs before Encarnacion ripped a 3-2 fastball from Matt Albers into the gap in right- center.

"I think the most underlying thing is our approach late in the game," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "We continue to grind out at-bats."

Adrian Gonzalez's homer and Marco Scutaro's RBI single in the top of the ninth made it a one-run game, but pinch-runner Mike Aviles was caught stealing with two outs, securing a win for Shawn Camp (4-3) and a save for Frank Francisco, his 13th of the season.

Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox, who have lost five of seven and trail the AL East-leading Yankees by 2 1/2 games.

Wakefield allowed five runs -- four earned -- over five innings but was in line for the win courtesy of Boston's early offense and Jays starter Brandon Morrow's equally ineffective turn.

The Red Sox pushed across three first-inning runs, as Morrow hit Kevin Youkilis with the bases loaded before Scutaro delivered a two-run single.

But Wakefield, who has been stuck on win No. 199 since a July 24th victory over the Mariners, failed to maintain the early advantage.

Eric Thames scored on an Encarnacion sac fly in the bottom of the first and J. P. Arencibia tied the game with a two-run blast in the second.

Thames was hit to begin the home third, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Jose Bautista's ground-rule double to left. Later in the frame, Bautista swiped third, then came home on a double steal, as Scutaro's return throw to the plate sailed wide, giving the Jays a 5-3 lead.

A four-run fourth, highlighted by Ellsbury's three-run blast, vaulted the Red Sox atop the see saw. Josh Reddick followed a Carl Crawford double with a two- bagger of his own to push across the inning's initial run.

David Ortiz gave the Red Sox an 8-5 lead with a solo shot in the fifth, but the Blue Jays refused to go quietly.

Encarnacion ripped an RBI single off of Dan Wheeler with two outs in the seventh. Bard grounded out Kelly Johnson to end the inning, but ran into trouble in the eighth.

He hit Brett Lawrie leading off, allowed a single to Adam Loewen and walked Arencibia to load the bases with nobody down. Appearing to settle, he put down Dewayne Wise on three pitches, got Yunel Escobar looking on a 3-2 fastball and went ahead 0-2 on Thames before unraveling. Thames fought back to draw a walk and a free pass to Bautista tied the game. Encarnacion then worked the count full on Albers before clearing the bases with his 34th double of the season.

"I fully believed bases-loaded no outs, I could get out of it," Bard said. "I never doubted it. I got two strikeouts, executed pitches when I needed to. Got to 0-2 the next guy and he had a really good at-bat."

Game Notes

Wakefield is 0-3 in seven starts since defeating the Mariners on July 24. He is looking to become the 108th pitcher in major league history to reach 200 wins...Ellsbury extended his hit streak to 12 games...Morrow allowed eight runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings...Loewen was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. He pitched in parts of three seasons with the Orioles before suffering a stress fracture in his left elbow in 2008. He signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays the same year in an effort to resurrect his career as a position player. His single in the eighth was the first of his major league career...On Wednesday, the Blue Jays transferred center fielder Rajai Davis from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.