BOSTON (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run home run to back Eduardo Rodríguez in his first start at Fenway Park since 2019, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Rodríguez (3-0), who missed last season due to COVID-19 complications, allowed two runs on three hits over six innings and struck out six for AL East-leading Boston.
Matt Andriese, Adam Ottavino and Matt Barnes each worked a scoreless inning in relief. Barnes earned his third save.
Rodríguez was pulled after allowing his second homer of the day, a towering leadoff shot by Randal Grichuk leading off the seventh. Bo Bichette also homered for the Blue Jays, who have lost three straight.
Toronto ace Hyun Jin Ryu (1-2) lasted five innings, giving up eight hits, four runs and striking out two.
Trailing 4-2 in the eighth, the Blue Jays had a runner on third with two outs, but Bichette struck out.
Rodríguez received a warm greeting from the pandemic-limited Fenway crowd of 4,728. It was a small consolation prize for the left-hander, who missed out on scheduled opening day starts each of the past two seasons.
He still appeared to feed off the home fans’ energy, hurling a 95 mph fastball to strike out Bichette looking in the first inning.
Rodríguez cruised through his first three innings, allowing only a walk.
In the fourth, Bichette jumped on a first-pitch cutter and drove it over the Green Monster to put the Blue Jays in front 1-0.
Christian Arroyo and J.D. Martinez singled ahead of Bogaerts’ blast to left-center in the bottom of the inning. Marwin Gonzalez doubled later in the fourth and Bobby Dalbec drove him in with a triple.
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