BOSTON — Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson took another step toward winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday night.
Donaldson led off the 10th inning with a triple that led to a double crew chief review — first to see if it was a home run and then to determine if he was out or safe at third. He eventually scored on shortstop Troy Tulowitzki’s single to key a four-run inning that gave the Blue Jays an important 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
The win, coupled with the Yankees’ 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in New York, increased the Jays’ lead in the AL East to a game and a half.
The Red Sox saw their four-game winning streak end, and they dropped back into last place in the East, a game behind the Orioles.
Donaldson missed his 38th homer of the season by inches — if at all — when his high fly ball off Alexi Ogando (2-1) hit the top of the left field wall. Right fielder Jose Bautista flied to short center, and designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion walked. Tulowitzki then snapped the tie with his second hit of the game, to the delight on the impressive number of Toronto fans in the stands.
First baseman Chris Colabello followed with his second hit to score another run, and Ogando balked home the third run of the inning. After a wild pitch, center fielder Kevin Pillar hit a sacrifice fly to left. Colabello would have been out at the plate on left fielder Brock Holt’s throw, but catcher Blake Swihart dropped the ball while making the tag.
Right-hander Aaron Sanchez (7-5) worked a scoreless ninth for the win, and righty Roberto Osuna finished up in what became a non-save situation.
R.A. Dickey, taking his first shot at his 100th career win, was pulled after six innings and just 80 pitches. He allowed one run on four hits. Dickey remains unbeaten in 10 starts (7-0) since his last loss on July 9.
Boston starter Henry Owens battled through 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. The rookie pulled with two on in the sixth after 95 pitches. Right-hander Jean Machi, the first of five Red Sox relievers used in the game, came on and got a double play to end the threat.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, off the disabled list after not playing since July 22, returned and went 1-for-4. He left the game after the ninth inning.
First baseman Travis Shaw homered for the Red Sox run in the second inning after the Jays took a 1-0 lead in the first without a hit.
Left fielder Ben Revere was hit by the second pitch of the game and took second when Bautista drew a one-out walk. Revere and Bautista then pulled a double steal (Revere’s 25th stolen base between the Phillies and Jays), and Encarnacion grounded out to score Revere.
It was Encarnacion’s 26th RBI in his last 16 games.
Orioles 2, Yankees 1
NEW YORK — Chris Davis led off the top of the ninth inning with his 41st home run, lifting the Baltimore Orioles to a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
Until Davis homered, the Orioles mustered only a solo home run by first baseman Ryan Flaherty in the sixth while striking out 10 times in eight innings off right-hander Masahiro Tanaka.
Baltimore finally broke through three pitches into the ninth off left-hander Chasen Shreve (6-2) when Davis drove a 2-0 fastball into the left field seats.
The drive gave Baltimore (66-72) its fifth win in the last 20 games and stopped a five-game losing streak in New York.
It also sent the Yankees to just their third loss in the last 11 games on a night when their only offense was a solo home run by designated hitter Alex Rodriguez.
Darren O’Day (6-2) recorded the final two outs of the eighth after T.J. McFarland pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings in relief of Kevin Gausman.
Zach Britton pitched a perfect ninth for his 31st save.
Tanaka and Gausman matched each other for five innings until the teams traded leadoff home runs in the sixth.
Flaherty made it 1-0 by driving a full count fastball into the right field seats for his eighth home run. Rodriguez evened the game when he sent a full count fastball into the first row of the left field seats.
It was Rodriguez’s 30th home run and he joined Hall of Famer Hank Aaron as the second player to have 15 seasons with at least 30 home runs.
Tanaka retired the first 12 hitters on 40 pitches before issuing a walk to right fielder Davis. He struck out designated hitter Jimmy Paredes and second baseman Jonathan Schoop but lost his no-hit bid when catcher Matt Wieters hit a ball into the shift.
Shortstop Didi Gregorius ran in front of second baseman Stephen Drew and was unable to field it cleanly. Gregorius was initially given an error but it was taken away a few moments later and Tanaka retired shortstop J.J. Hardy on a pop-up.