Jays Beat Red Sox 16-2
[photogallerylink id=39581 align=right]Lyle Overbay hit two homers and drove in a career-high seven runs as the Toronto Blue Jays battered Boston Red Sox starter Jon Lester en route to a 16-2 victory on Friday night.
It was the ninth multi-homer game of Overbay's career and second this season. He was 4-for-5.
Overbay's second homer - his 15th of the season - chased Lester (13-8) after 2-plus innings. He surrendered eight hits, three walks and nine runs. His previous low point came against Tampa Bay last season when gave up eight runs in 4 1-3 innings.
Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 38th homer in the seventh. John McDonald also homered for the Blue Jays. John Buck, activated from the disabled list prior to the game, was 4-for-5 with two RBI and four runs.
It was the most runs given up by the Red Sox this season.
Brett Cecil (10-6) picked up only his third victory in 11 starts since June 15 for the Blue Jays. He worked 6 2-3 scoreless innings before giving up a two-run double to Dusty Brown in the seventh. Jesse Carlson and Shawn Camp finished the game for Toronto.
Lester's troubles started with the game's first batter, Fred Lewis, who reached on a walk before Escobar's perfectly executed bunt base hit down the third base line. After Vernon Wells walked to load the bases, Buck put the Blue Jays on top, 2-0, with a hit. Overbay's homer later in the inning gave Toronto a 5-0 lead.
The Blue Jays got a sacrifice fly from Bautista in the second inning to increase their lead to 6-0. In the third, Buck singled and Aaron Hill walked to set up Overbay's second homer of the game. Scott Atchison replaced Lester and gave up two runs in 2 1-3 innings. He left the game after being struck in the leg by a Travis Snider liner.
Michael Bowden, Manny Delcarmen and Tim Wakefield also pitched for the Red Sox, who have lost two in a row after winning the first two games of a nine-game homestand.
NOTES: Overbay had six RBI in a game on July 23, 2005 as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. Bautista snapped an 0-for-12 slump with his homer. David Ortiz extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a fourth inning double. Overbay hit two homers in a game on May 29 against Baltimore.
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