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Sports

Ortiz, McDonald homer, Red Sox beat Blue Jays 3-2

Associated Press
Published | Updated

TORONTO (AP) — Darnell McDonald and David Ortiz hit back-to-back home runs, Daisuke Matsuzaka won for the first time in more than a month and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Sunday.

Aaron Hill connected for Blue Jays, who lead the major leagues with 136 homers, 18 more than Boston, but Toronto's streak of multihomer games was snapped at seven, one shy of the club record.

Matsuzaka (6-3) allowed two runs and six hits in six-plus innings. He walked none and struck out five to win for the first time since June 7 at Cleveland.

Daniel Bard worked two innings and Jonathan Papelbon closed it out in the ninth for his 20th save.

Boston lost All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre in the sixth with a strained left hamstring. Bill Hall moved from second to third and Eric Patterson replaced Beltre in the lineup.

Blue Jays right-hander Jesse Litsch (0-4) was perfect through the first three innings before issuing a two-out walk to Ortiz in the fourth. Kevin Youkilis followed with a fly out to right.

Marco Scutaro ended Litsch's no-hit bid in the sixth with a two-out double to right-center. Litsch's shutout bid ended when McDonald followed with a two-run drive to left, his sixth.

Ortiz followed that with a solo blast into the second deck in right, his 18th. It was the fourth time this season the Red Sox have hit back-to-back homers and the second time this series. Youkilis and Beltre did it in Friday's 14-3 win.

Litsch came in 4-1 in six career starts against Boston, including 3-0 in three home starts. The right-hander remains winless in six starts since coming off the disabled list June 9. He allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings, walked one and struck out five.

Toronto chased Matsuzaka in the seventh when Adam Lind led off with a single and Hill followed with a two-run homer to left, his 12th.

For the second time this homestand, there were mechanical problems with the retractable roof at Rogers Centre. One panel remained in place Sunday, leaving shadows over the infield. Both home plate and the mound were in shade for the first three innings but the mound was in full sun by the fourth, creating a difficult contrast for batters.

The entire roof was forced to remain closed during last Wednesday's game against Minnesota.

NOTES: Red Sox OF Mike Cameron, who was hit on the right wrist by a pitch Saturday, did not start. ... LHP Ricky Romero, RHP Brandon Morrow and RHP Shaun Marcum will start Toronto's first three games following the All-Star break, manager Cito Gaston said.