BOSTON — Leaning back in his chair, a smile on his face, Toronto manager John Gibbons wondered aloud if anyone was playing better than left-hander Mark Buehrle.
The same thing could be asked about his hitters.
Buehrle became the first pitcher to eight wins this season, and Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista hit back-to-back homers in the first inning as the Blue Jays finished off a three-game sweep of the reeling Boston Red Sox with a 7-2 victory Thursday.
“Look at what he’s done all year, Gibbons said of Buehrle. “He’s a different style of pitcher, but who’s pitched better in baseball, really? Like I said over and over and over, it’s not like he came out of nowhere. The guy’s had a fantastic career.”
Shortstop Jose Reyes drove in two runs during a five-run second as the Blue Jays jumped out to a 7-1 lead and won for the eighth time in 10 games. They outscored Boston 20-10 in the series.
“Top to bottom, it’s a strong American League lineup and that’s really what you need in the American League,” Gibbons said. “We’re really a home run threat with most of those guys in the lineup, so we can burn you that way.”
The early run support was more than enough for Buehrle (8-1), whose lone blemish this season came against the Red Sox on April 25, when he allowed a season-high seven runs and 12 hits in an 8-1 loss.
What a difference a month can make.
The left-hander allowed two runs and seven hits over seven solid innings Thursday, striking out five, walking none and retiring 11 of the final 12 batters he faced.
“Obviously getting a lead like that, you go out there and try to make some pitches and realize if you make mistakes it isn’t going to affect you as much,” said Buehrle, adding he doesn’t put much stock into his hot start to the season. “You could go out there your next eight starts and (stink) and be under .500, then no one remembers about your start.
“I take it one start at a time, whether it’s good or bad.”
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts homered for the Red Sox, who were outscored 37-16 during their current seven-game losing streak, their longest slide since dropping eight straight to end the 2012 season.
It was Boston’s first 0-6 homestand since 1994 after getting swept by Detroit last weekend.
“We’re in a stretch of games here where we’re giving up too many runs early and we’re scuffling to score runs. That’s a dangerous combination,” said Boston manager John Farrell. “It’s frustrating right now for a number of guys.”
Jon Lester was one of them Thursday.
The lefty barely had time to blink before falling behind in the first.
“It’s not fun going out there, giving up a bunch of hits, trying to stop a losing streak, trying to win, trying to just keep guys in the ballgame,” he said. “The list goes on and on of things that I just flat out didn’t do today.”
Cabrera, Toronto’s left fielder, hit Lester’s sixth pitch of the game over the Green Monster and Bautista, the Blue Jays’ right fielder, belted his 12th of the season on the ensuing offering for a 2-0 lead before most of the fans had found their seats.
The Red Sox cut it to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by left fielder Jonny Gomes, but the Blue Jays continued their relentless attack by batting around in the second.
Reyes delivered a two-run base hit, Bautista and first baseman Edwin Encarnacion added RBI singles and third baseman Brett Lawrie plated another when he reached on a fielder’s choice.
Lester (4-6) eventually settled down, retiring 11 straight during one stretch before departing after 6 1/3 innings. He allowed seven runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us,” said catcher A.J. Pierzynski. “There’s plenty of time to turn it around.”
NOTES: The game was delayed eight minutes at the start by rain. … Boston DH David Ortiz went 0-for-4 and is hitless in his last 17 at-bats. … LHP Jon Lester fell to 11-5 in 19 regular-season starts following a Red Sox loss since the start of 2013. … RF Jose Bautista’s first-inning homer was the 180th of his Toronto career, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the club’s all-time list. It was his 18th homer in 40 games at Fenway Park. … Bautista and DH Kevin Pillar had three hits apiece. … Toronto 3B Brett Lawrie snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a double in the ninth.