TORONTO — Ernie Clement hit into a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning, giving George Springer enough time to score as the Toronto Blue Jays eked out a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. Brett Bateman’s RBI double in the third tied the game 1-1 and he tied it again 3-3 in the fifth with a run-scoring single for Toronto (58-63). Charles McAdoo drove in the Blue Jays’ other run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Myles Straw tacked on another run in the eighth with a two-out RBI double as Toronto won back-to-back games to keep pace in the American League’s wild-card chase. Dylan Cease struck out seven, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks over five innings. Chase Lee (1-0), Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher and Spencer Miles combined for four scoreless innings of relief. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a sacrifice fly in the third inning and led off the fifth with a solo home run as Boston (64-55) lost its fourth straight. Wilyer Abreu had a solo shot in the fourth. Patrick Sandoval (1-1) allowed four runs — two earned — on eight hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out four. Tyron Guerrero and Seth Martinez came out of the visitors’ bullpen. Takeaways Red Sox: Catcher Adley Rutschman was activated off the 10-day injured list less than an hour before the opening pitch to make his Boston debut. Rutschman hasn’t played since July 18, when he was still a member of the Baltimore Orioles, because of left wrist inflammation. The Red Sox traded three of their top prospects to get the switch-hitting Rutschman from Baltimore at the trade deadline. He went 0-for-3, including the game-ending groundout, with two walks. Blue Jays: Cease jokingly told Toronto manager John Schneider that he could throw 130 pitches in the start to give the Blue Jays beleaguered bullpen a rest. He threw 104 over his five innings, forcing Schneider to once again put the ball into the hands of Toronto’s overused relievers. Key moment Clement hit a ground ball to Boston second baseman Nick Sogard who threw to shortstop Andruw Monasterio, forcing out Alejandro Kirk. Springer scored from third for Toronto’s first lead of the game. Key stat Toronto’s relievers combined for 39 1/3 innings of work over the previous eight days heading into Tuesday’s game when they accounted for four more innings. Up next Jose Soriano (9-6) takes the mound for Toronto in the third game of the four-game set with Boston. Ranger Suarez (4-3) gets the start for the Red Sox. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2026. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
