Napoli, Panda homer off Dickey, lift Red Sox
TORONTO -- Mike Napoli and Pablo Sandoval homered, while right-hander Clay Buchholz tossed 6 1/3 strong innings in the Red Sox's 6-3 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday in a Mother's Day matinee at Rogers Centre.
Napoli gave the Red Sox a lead in the first inning with a three-run shot to left-center field, his third home run of 2015. Swinging a pink bat, Sandoval followed in the fifth with a two-run shot, his third homer of the year. Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey was charged with all six runs on seven hits and three walks.
"The two home runs got him, there's no doubt about it," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Dickey. "Other than that, he was pretty good, but the ball was flying."
Video: BOS@TOR: Panda belts a two-run homer to right
Buchholz entered Sunday having allowed 10 runs (nine earned) over his previous nine innings, but he was back in form against the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old struggled with his command at times and finished with three walks, but he allowed just three runs on seven hits while striking out three.
Chris Colabello was one of the few bright spots for Toronto's offense. Colabello had three singles and an RBI and has hit safely in all but one of the five games he's played since getting called up from Triple-A Buffalo this week. Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson each drove in a run for the Blue Jays.
Video: BOS@TOR: Colabello lines an RBI single to center
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Napoli homers to spot Sox lead: With Boston up 1-0, Napoli hit his 12th career homer at Rogers Centre to give the Red Sox a 4-0 lead. After Hanley Ramirez and Sandoval reached base, Napoli waited on a 1-1 knuckleball and sent a shot deep over the wall in left-center to record his eighth homer in Toronto in his last 19 games north of the border. More >
Dickey plagued by long ball: Napoli's three-run homer wasn't the only one to haunt Dickey. He also surrendered a two-run blast to Sandoval which increased Boston's lead to 6-1. Since joining the Blue Jays before the 2013 season, Dickey has allowed more home runs (68) than any pitcher in the Major Leagues. Dan Haren is second at 61. More >
Buchholz solid en route to win: The Boston right-hander earned his first win since Opening Day. After he walked three in the first, Buchholz settled in to record his fourth quality start of the season, improving his record at Rogers Centre to 3-1 over his last five starts at the park. More >
Video: BOS@TOR: Buchholz tosses 6 1/3 innings vs. Blue Jays
QUOTABLE
"I was very sad to squash the momentum that we had generated. That four-run first really hurts. It's hard to put your team in a hole like that and expect good results collectively as far as a team win goes." -- Dickey, on giving up four runs in the first after his club won the first two games vs. Boston
"It stinks to lose. Regardless of the level you play at, it stinks to lose. I think everybody here takes it to heart because we're Boston Red Sox and we know this team is built around winning. When you're not doing that or you're not getting the breaks, it sort of wears on you." -- Buchholz, on the Red Sox's slump
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Combining his time in the Majors and Nippon Professional Baseball, Koji Uehara earned his 100th career save Sunday. Uehara has 67 in MLB and 33 in NPB.
Video: BOS@TOR: Koji retires Smoak to record the save
TEPERA HAS MEMORABLE DEBUT
With his parents in attendance, Blue Jays righty reliever Ryan Tepera pitched two perfect innings in his Major League debut.
"My parents were both here," Tepera said with a big smile. "My sister came the first two games, she left actually today so she didn't get to see it. But it was a great Mother's Day gift. I just saw her, she was actually crying, tears of joy. It was cool to have both of them here, my mom and dad." More >
Video: BOS@TOR: Tepera fans Napoli in his MLB debut
WHAT'S NEXT
Red Sox: Rick Porcello will take the mound Monday when the Red Sox open a three-game series against the A's in Oakland at 10:05 p.m. ET. A winner in his last two decisions, the right-hander hasn't pitched fewer than five innings in a start this season. He went seven scoreless without a walk his last time out. Outfielder Shane Victorino is expected to make his return to Boston's lineup.
Blue Jays: Righty Marco Estrada will take the mound when the Blue Jays visit the Orioles on Monday at 7:05 p.m. ET. This will mark the first series in Baltimore since the Orioles and White Sox played April 29 in a game that was closed to the public because of civil unrest in the city. Estrada made his first 2015 start Tuesday against the Yankees and likely will be limited to approximately 90 pitches as he continues to transition from the bullpen to the rotation.
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