Red Sox battle Blue Jays again up north

(SportsNetwork.com) - AL East foes collide in Toronto for the second portion of a three-game series Saturday as the Boston Red Sox battle the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

A pair of pitchers looking to improve on lofty earned run averages take the mound in the contest. Boston will trot out Joe Kelly, while Toronto counters with unbeaten Drew Hutchison.

Kelly has made five starts this season for the Sox, earning a win in his first start against the Yankees back on April 11, and hasn't been able to pick one up since. Kelly was shelled in an 8-5 loss to New York in his previous outing, lasting only 4 2/3 innings after allowing nine hits and five earned runs. His ERA sits at 5.72 entering Saturday's bout.

Kelly started 17 games last season - 10 with Boston and seven with St. Louis prior to his trade east. He's only competed against the Blue Jays twice, racking up 12 innings and a 5.25 ERA. He has yet to earn a decision against Toronto.

His counterpart, Hutchison, is 2-0 this season but is trying to quell a 7.47 ERA. Hutchison has made six starts already, but has been errant in his two most recent stints. His last outing - a no-decision against Cleveland - was cut short after he allowed eight hits and six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in an eventual 10-7 Toronto loss.

Hutchison has only allowed fewer than four runs in two of his six starts this season. He's surrendered six runs in back-to-back contests entering the weekend.

The Red Sox were shelled on Friday in the first game of the series, just one day after the team fired pitching coach Juan Nieves. Wade Miley picked up his fourth loss of the season after going six innings and allowing eight hits with four earned runs. He did strike out eight batters, however.

Boston dropped the game, 7-0.

Aaron Sanchez was the story of the game for Toronto, tossing seven shutout innings of two-hit ball. By the time Sanchez was pulled from the contest, the damage was done and the Sox trailed significantly.

"(Sanchez) was just out there battling," said catcher Russell Martin. "He had good stuff today."

Josh Donaldson got it going early for Toronto, sending a first-inning solo home run into the left field seats - his seventh homer of the season. Chris Colabello followed suit with a solo shot of his own in the second inning.

Ezequiel Carrera pinch-hit for Danny Valencia in the eighth inning with two men on, and was able to drive both in with a single to left field. Carrera had two RBI in the contest - the most for any one Blue Jays player.

Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia provided the only hits for the Red Sox in the loss. The team stranded seven runners on base.

Toronto leveled the season series with the win at two games apiece.