Red Sox Slide Continues

May 27, 1998 / 3:32 AM EDT / CBS/AP

The Toronto Blue Jays are pitching better because their batters are hitting better.

Juan Guzman won his second straight game after losing his previous four decisions, and the Blue Jays extended their winning streak to a season-high four games by beating the Boston Red Sox 5-2 Tuesday night.

"I'm pitching with more confidence because of the way we're hitting," said Guzman (3-6). "The first month, we felt like we had to be perfect or pitch a no-hitter. Now, the way we're hitting, it doesn't feel that way."

Mike Stanley drove in three runs with a homer and a double, Carlos Delgado hit a two-run double and Guzman made a 4-0 lead in the first stand up by pitching seven strong innings.

Toronto is 17-8 in May after going 10-16 in April. The Blue Jays ended their road trip to Cleveland and Boston with a 4-1 record, hitting. 304 to raise their average to a season-high .251.

"It's obvious why we're winning," Stanley said. "We're no longer squandering the good pitching efforts."

Guzman allowed two runs and six hits, struck out seven and walked two as Toronto won for the seventh time in eight games. Randy Myers pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.

"You want to break the season up into little challenges and this was our first challenge," Stanley said of the road trip. "We did well."

Boston's losing streak reached a season-high four as Steve Avery (1-1) allowed five runs and six hits in four innings in his second start since being called up from the minors. He pitched five shutout innings May 16 against Kansas City.

"After losing three in a row, I really felt this would be a good time to step up and contribute," Avery said. "Instead, I went out in the first inning and put us in a big hole."

He was in trouble from the beginning, allowing a leadoff double to Alex Gonzalez, a single to Jose Canseco and a two-run double to Delgado. Stanley followed with his ninth homer of the season.

Avery struggled as a starter last year in his first season with the Red Sox and made nine relief appearances this year before going to Triple-A Pawtucket.

In their last four games, Red Sox starters have a 13.79 ERA and only one lasted more than four innings. Pedro Martinez allowed seven runs in 7 2-3 innings in Monday's 7-5 loss to Toronto.

Boston got a run in the second on Reggie Jefferson's solo homer and Troy O'Leary followed with a triple. But O'Leary was stranded at third when Guzman retired the next three batters.

"We had our chances to score runs, but Guzman pitched well," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "I thought Avery pitched well his last three innings."

Toronto took a 5-1 lead in the third on consecutive doubles by Delgado and Stanley, wo spent 1996 and most of 1997 with the Red Sox.

Boston put runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth. But Mo Vaughn hit a soft liner to second and Jefferson grounded into a double play.

Guzman nearly escaped a seventh-inning jam after O'Leary's second triple of the game. He retired the next two batters, but Mike Benjamin hit an RBI single.

Notes: The Red Sox placed second baseman Mark Lemke on the 15-day disabled list with post-concussive syndrome and recalled pitcher Joe Hudson from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Five of Toronto's first six hits were for extra bases. ... Gonzalez, who struck out on four of his five at bats Monday, fanned once Tuesday. ... Benjamin made his 16th consecutive start at shortstop. Nomar Garciaparra, on the disabled list with a mild shoulder separation, expects to play in Wednesday night's exhibition game against the Red Sox' farm team in Trenton and might be activated for Thursday night's start of a four-game road series against the New York Yankees. ... Stanley singled in the eighth and went 3-for-4.

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