Sox hit 5 homers, beat Jays in Buffalo finale

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — J.D. Martinez and Hunter Renfroe connected back-to-back as the Boston Red Sox won a home run derby, beating Toronto 7-4 Wednesday night in the Blue Jays' final game at their temporary Buffalo home.

In the middle of the third inning, Blue Jays players and coaches came out of the dugout to salute the fans at Sahlen Field.

Kiké Hernández, Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis also connected for Boston, which went deep six times in Monday's 13-4 win over Toronto. It was the first time the Red Sox hit at least five homers in consecutive games against one opponent since doing it to the Yankees in June 1977.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 32nd homer for Toronto. George Springer added a two-run shot in the sixth and Teoscar Hernández followed with a homer for Toronto, which finished its residency in Buffalo with a 12-11 record this season.

Including games played at the home of their Triple-A team in 2020, the Blue Jays ended with a 29-20 mark in Buffalo. Their game against Boston on Tuesday night was rained out.

The Blue Jays will return to Toronto on July 30 after the Canadian government granted them an exemption to the U.S.-Canada travel ban. The Blue Jays haven’t played at Rogers Centre since 2019 because of coronavirus protocols.

Toronto began this season hosting home games at its spring training site in Dunedin, Florida, then moved to Buffalo in June.

Hernández hit a two-run shot in the third inning, and Devers and Chavis hit leadoff drives in the fourth and fifth innings. Martinez and Renfroe connected in the eighth as Boston raised its AL-leading road record to 30-19.

Garrett Richards (6-5) allowed four hits in 5 2/3 innings and won a second straight start for the first time since mid-May. He struck out four.

Garrett Whitlock pitched 1 1/3 innings and Adam Ottavino worked the eighth. Matt Barnes pitched a perfect ninth for his 20th save.

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Red Sox: Return home for a four-game series against the Yankees. RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 3.38 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Red Sox on Thursday night against New York LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-5, 4.18).