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Bay hits 2-run homer, Red Sox over Blue Jays 6-1

Aug 20, 2009 - 3:32 AM TORONTO(AP) -- Even Toronto ace Roy Halladay couldn't stop Boston's home run barrage.

Jason Bay hit a two-run homer, David Ortiz and Victor Martinez added solo shots and the Red Sox beat Halladay and the Blue Jays 6-1 on Wednesday night.

"We've been swinging good and when you're swinging good, that's what happens," said Ortiz, who has homered in three straight games. "It doesn't matter who we face, we're going to produce."

The Red Sox, who moved one game in front of Texas in the AL wild card race, have hit at least two homers in five straight games and eight of nine overall.

"It's nice to see right now, with numerous guys getting in on the act," Bay said. "Once a few guys start swinging, it takes pressure off other guys. It's just one of those once you get the ball rolling things."

Bay, who has homered in seven of his past 11 games, hit a two-run drive to left in the fifth, his team-high 27th, to make it 5-1.

Ortiz gave Boston its first run with a leadoff drive in the second, his 19th. It's the first time he has homered in three straight games since July 6-8, 2006.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Ortiz is reaping the rewards after putting in extra work on his swing.

"Even in BP he's driving the ball to left field," Francona said. "He's making a concerted effort every day to do it, not do it one day and the next day start pulling. He's staying with it and you're seeing some more aggressive swings without trying to muster up all the strength and the bat's getting through the zone a little bit better."

Halladay (13-6) allowed five runs, four earned, and eight hits in five innings, only the third time in 24 starts he has failed to work at least seven innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

"I was trying to make quality pitches and I just didn't do it," Halladay said. "I just did a bad job of pitching ahead, aggressively. I was kind of behind, trying to fight my way through it."

Bay said it was obvious Halladay was struggling with his control.

"Usually he's pounding the zone but he was more erratic with his command tonight," Bay said. "We're a team that if you don't throw a lot of strikes, we'll make you throw a lot of pitches a lot of the time. For whatever reason he wasn't as crisp tonight."

Toronto reliever Brandon League hit Kevin Youkilis in the elbow with a pitch after Martinez drilled a two-out homer in the ninth, forcing home pate umpire Andy Fletcher to warn both dugouts.

"I've got no more comments," Youkilis said. "That's how I'm going to handle it from here on out. When I get hit by a pitch, I've got no comment."

Youkilis returned Tuesday following a five-game suspension for charging the mound and throwing his helmet at Detroit right-hander Rick Porcello on Aug. 11.

Both Toronto manager Cito Gaston and Francona came out and argued with Fletcher, each manager noting that League hit Youkilis with a splitter, not a fastball, and that the warning was unnecessary.

Clay Buchholz (2-3) allowed one run and six hits in six innings to win for the first time in six starts. Buchholz, who walked one and struck out four, had not won since beating Toronto in his season debut on July 17. The right-hander was 0-3 in his five starts since.

"It's been a whole lot better for me so far this year, being back up, just getting outs in key situations and making some key pitches and minimizing damage," Buchholz said. "It's going well right now."

Buchholz is 2-2 with a 2.53 ERA in four career starts against the Blue Jays, all in Toronto.

Boston relievers Ramon Ramirez, Hideki Okajima and Takashi Saito each pitched an inning.

The Red Sox added a run in the second when Casey Kotchman singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Alex Gonzalez.

Jacoby Ellsbury tripled home Gonzalez in the fourth but Vernon Wells hit an RBI single in the bottom half to make it 3-1.

NOTES: Red Sox RHP Tim Wakefield (back) will make a minor league rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday, Francona said. Wakefield made his first rehab start for Pawtucket last Saturday, then threw a bullpen session in Toronto on Tuesday. ... RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (shoulder) will pitch in a Gulf Coast League game next Monday, then head to Boston to visit with doctors. If all goes well, Matsuzaka will pitch for Double-A Portland on Aug. 29 and at Triple-A Pawtucket on Sept. 3. ... Francona said 2B Dustin Pedroia is expected to rejoin the team in Toronto on Thursday. Pedroia flew to Boston on Tuesday to be with his wife as she gave birth to the couple's first child.