TORONTO — Boston Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie will miss at least one game because of ongoing problems with his right shoulder.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona sat the struggling infielder Sunday, with Monday an off-day before a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Francona also sat Lowrie for two games in New York this past week.

“We’ll check on Jed Tuesday and see how he’s doing there. We might even give him another one,” Francona said. “What I want him to do is be able to go out there and feel good. Maybe two or three days will kind of jump-start that a little bit.”

The 27-year-old is just 4-for-32 in June and made two errors in Boston’s 5-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

Marco Scutaro took over at shortstop Saturday and went 4-for-6 with three runs scored in a 16-4 win over the Blue Jays. He is 8 for 20 in four games since returning from an oblique injury.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

TORONTO – Imagine what the Boston Red Sox could’ve done to Blue Jays pitching if they were well rested.

David Ortiz hit a three-run homer, Jason Varitek homered and drove in four runs, and the sleep-deprived Red Sox beat Toronto 16-4 Saturday for their season-high eighth straight win.

The offensive outburst came in a day game following a night game Friday. The Red Sox arrived in Toronto early Friday morning after their matchup against the Yankees was delayed nearly 3 1/2 hours Thursday night.

“This team’s tired though, too,” Varitek said. “There’s a point some of those later (at-bats) it’s a grind, we’re still playing catch up.”

John Lackey (4-5) made up for a terrible first start in Toronto this season. He delivered six strong innings in his second start since going on the disabled list with a strained elbow after giving up nine runs in 6 2-3 innings against the Blue Jays on May 11.

“I felt good, I felt like it was a step forward, still building some arm strength,” Lackey said. “I thought the guys swung the bats pretty good, made it pretty easy on me.”

The right-hander was charged with four runs on six hits and two walks while having to wait through two innings in which the Red Sox batted around.

“I’ll sit there all day if they want to keep swinging like that. That’s fine,” he said. “That’s not something I’m ever going to complain about, for sure.”

Boston manager Terry Francona was pleased with Lackey’s performance that included a season-high eight strikeouts.

“He had some depth to his pitches,” Francona said. “You don’t ever hear me sit here and worry about strikeouts, I care about them getting out. But I thought the swings and misses were good.

Dustin Pedroia drove in three runs and had three hits, and Marco Scutaro had four hits while scoring three times.

“When everybody’s hitting, it’s kind of contagious,” said Scutaro.

Every Boston starter drove in at least one run as the Blue Jays allowed their most runs in a game this season.

Things got so bad for Toronto, utility man Mike McCoy pitched the ninth inning. McCoy, who had started at second base in place of Aaron Hill, pitched a perfect inning.

“You just try not to do too much and kind of stay within yourself and throwing softly is more effective against big-league hitters who are used to seeing 90 (mph) and I’m throwing 72, 73, hitters get themselves out usually,” McCoy said. “I threw a couple of sliders just to mix it up and get them out front a little bit. … It’s pretty exciting, except for the loss.”

Varitek ended a horrible afternoon for Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow (2-4) with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth that made it 9-2.

Morrow gave up a career-worst nine earned runs, 10 hits and three walks in just 4 1-3 innings, the 26-year-old’s shortest outing of the season.

Blue Jays trainers checked on Morrow in the top of the second after he was hit on the back of his right leg by a line drive off the bat of ex-Blue Jay Scutaro.

Reliever Jason Frasor took over with one out in the fifth but fared little better.

He surrendered a hit and a walk before Ortiz hit his 16th homer of the season that stretched Boston’s lead to 12-2.

Boston took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third as five straight Red Sox reached with one out, batting around for the first time.

Back-to-back singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Pedroia set up Adrian Gonzalez, who roped a run-scoring double.

The hit gave the first baseman at least one RBI in eight straight games, extending a new career high he set on Friday when Boston won the series opener 5-1.

Morrow then loaded the bases by intentionally walking Ortiz — after a first-inning single he was 5 for 8 in his career against the right-hander — to face Jed Lowrie, who had never faced Morrow before popping up to end the first.

The move backfired. Morrow hit Lowrie with a pitch to force in a run that made it 2-0.

Carl Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to left before Scutaro hit an RBI single up the middle.

Pedroia had a one-out RBI double in the fourth and two-run double in the eighth. Rajai Davis snapped an 0-for-23 slump with a two-run double that cut Boston’s lead to 5-2 in the fourth.

Edwin Encarnacion’s second home run of the season, a two-run shot off Lackey in the sixth, scored Toronto’s only other runs.

NOTES: Francona said that with a scheduled off day on Monday, he rested Kevin Youkilis Saturday so the third baseman could have extra rest. “He’s just a little beat up, day game after a night game,” Francona said. Shortstop Yunel Escobar returned to Toronto’s lineup after missing two games because of soreness in his left quadriceps. Saturday’s announced crowd of 39,437 marked the first time Toronto drew more than 30,000 since their season-opening series against Minnesota. Ellsbury’s third-inning single extended his hitting streak to nine games. … AL home run leader Jose Bautista failed to homer for a 13th straight game, equaling his longest drought since a 13-game run in June of 2010. Last year’s major league-leader with 54 home runs has also gone 11 games without an extra-base hit. McCoy became the fifth position player in Blue Jays franchise history to pitch in a game, the first since Frank Menechino on Aug. 28, 2004. Varitek, 39, had his first four-RBI game since April 26, 2010, in a 13-12 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto.

CBSSports.com wire reports
June 11, 2011

TORONTO — Imagine what the Boston Red Sox could’ve done to Blue Jays pitching if they were well rested.

David Ortiz hit a three-run homer, Jason Varitek homered and drove in four runs, and the sleep-deprived Red Sox beat Toronto 16-4 Saturday for their season-high eighth straight win.

The offensive outburst came in a day game following a night game Friday. The Red Sox arrived in Toronto early Friday morning after their matchup against the Yankees was delayed nearly 3½ hours Thursday night.

“This team’s tired though, too,” Varitek said. “There’s a point some of those later [at-bats] it’s a grind, we’re still playing catch up.”

John Lackey (4-5) made up for a terrible first start in Toronto this season. He delivered six strong innings in his second start since going on the disabled list with a strained elbow after giving up nine runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays on May 11.

“I felt good, I felt like it was a step forward, still building some arm strength,” Lackey said. “I thought the guys swung the bats pretty good, made it pretty easy on me.”

The right-hander was charged with four runs on six hits and two walks while having to wait through two innings in which the Red Sox batted around.

“I’ll sit there all day if they want to keep swinging like that. That’s fine,” he said. “That’s not something I’m ever going to complain about, for sure.”

Boston manager Terry Francona was pleased with Lackey’s performance that included a season-high eight strikeouts.

“He had some depth to his pitches,” Francona said. “You don’t ever hear me sit here and worry about strikeouts, I care about them getting out. But I thought the swings and misses were good.

Dustin Pedroia drove in three runs and had three hits, and Marco Scutaro had four hits while scoring three times.

“When everybody’s hitting, it’s kind of contagious,” said Scutaro.

Every Boston starter drove in at least one run as the Blue Jays allowed their most runs in a game this season.

Things got so bad for Toronto, utility man Mike McCoy pitched the ninth inning. McCoy, who had started at second base in place of Aaron Hill, pitched a perfect inning.

“You just try not to do too much and kind of stay within yourself and throwing softly is more effective against big-league hitters who are used to seeing 90 [mph] and I’m throwing 72, 73, hitters get themselves out usually,” McCoy said. “I threw a couple of sliders just to mix it up and get them out front a little bit. … It’s pretty exciting, except for the loss.”

Varitek ended a horrible afternoon for Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow (2-4) with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth that made it 9-2.

Morrow gave up a career-worst nine earned runs, 10 hits and three walks in just 4 1/3 innings, the 26-year-old’s shortest outing of the season.

Blue Jays trainers checked on Morrow in the top of the second after he was hit on the back of his right leg by a line drive off the bat of ex-Blue Jay Scutaro.

Reliever Jason Frasor took over with one out in the fifth but fared little better.

He surrendered a hit and a walk before Ortiz hit his 16th homer of the season that stretched Boston’s lead to 12-2.

Boston took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third as five straight Red Sox reached with one out, batting around for the first time.

Back-to-back singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Pedroia set up Adrian Gonzalez, who roped a run-scoring double.

The hit gave the first baseman at least one RBI in eight straight games, extending a new career high he set on Friday when Boston won the series opener 5-1.

Morrow then loaded the bases by intentionally walking Ortiz — after a first-inning single he was 5 for 8 in his career against the right-hander — to face Jed Lowrie, who had never faced Morrow before popping up to end the first.

The move backfired. Morrow hit Lowrie with a pitch to force in a run that made it 2-0.

Carl Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to left before Scutaro hit an RBI single up the middle.

Pedroia had a one-out RBI double in the fourth and two-run double in the eighth. Rajai Davis snapped an 0-for-23 slump with a two-run double that cut Boston’s lead to 5-2 in the fourth.

Edwin Encarnacion’s second home run of the season, a two-run shot off Lackey in the sixth, scored Toronto’s only other runs.

Notes

• Francona said that with a scheduled off day on Monday, he rested Kevin Youkilis Saturday so the third baseman could have extra rest. “He’s just a little beat up, day game after a night game,” Francona said.
• Shortstop Yunel Escobar returned to Toronto’s lineup after missing two games because of soreness in his left quadriceps.
• Saturday’s announced crowd of 39,437 marked the first time Toronto drew more than 30,000 since their season-opening series against Minnesota.
• Ellsbury’s third-inning single extended his hitting streak to nine games.
• AL home run leader Jose Bautista failed to homer for a 13th straight game, equaling his longest drought since a 13-game run in June of 2010. Last year’s major league-leader with 54 home runs has also gone 11 games without an extra-base hit.
• McCoy became the fifth position player in Blue Jays franchise history to pitch in a game, the first since Frank Menechino on Aug. 28, 2004.
• Varitek, 39, had his first four-RBI game since April 26, 2010, in a 13-12 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto.

Red Sox teammates Jacoby Ellsbury, left, and slugger David Ortiz celebrated one of Boston’s 16 runs against Toronto Saturday afternoon. (Canadian Press)

Imagine what the Boston Red Sox could’ve done to Blue Jays pitching if they were well rested.

David Ortiz hit a three-run homer, Jason Varitek homered and drove in four runs, and the sleep-deprived Red Sox beat Toronto 16-4 Saturday for their season-high eighth straight win.

The offensive outburst came in a day game following a night game Friday. The Red Sox arrived in Toronto early Friday morning after their matchup against the Yankees was delayed nearly 3 ½ hours Thursday night.

“This team’s tired though, too,” Varitek said. “There’s a point some of those later [at-bats] it’s a grind, we’re still playing catch up.”

John Lackey (4-5) made up for a terrible first start in Toronto this season. He delivered six strong innings in his second start since going on the disabled list with a strained elbow after giving up nine runs in 6 2-3 innings against the Blue Jays on May 11.

“I felt good, I felt like it was a step forward, still building some arm strength,” Lackey said. “I thought the guys swung the bats pretty good, made it pretty easy on me.”

The right-hander was charged with four runs on six hits and two walks while having to wait through two innings in which the Red Sox batted around.

“I’ll sit there all day if they want to keep swinging like that. That’s fine,” he said. “That’s not something I’m ever going to complain about, for sure.”

Boston manager Terry Francona was pleased with Lackey’s performance that included a season-high eight strikeouts.

“He had some depth to his pitches,” Francona said. “You don’t ever hear me sit here and worry about strikeouts, I care about them getting out. But I thought the swings and misses were good.

Dustin Pedroia drove in three runs and had three hits, and Marco Scutaro had four hits while scoring three times.

“When everybody’s hitting, it’s kind of contagious,” said Scutaro.

Every Boston starter drove in at least one run as the Blue Jays allowed their most runs in a game this season.

Things got so bad for Toronto, utility man Mike McCoy pitched the ninth inning. McCoy, who had started at second base in place of Aaron Hill, pitched a perfect inning.

“You just try not to do too much and kind of stay within yourself and throwing softly is more effective against big-league hitters who are used to seeing 90 [mph] and I’m throwing 72, 73, hitters get themselves out usually,” McCoy said. “I threw a couple of sliders just to mix it up and get them out front a little bit. … It’s pretty exciting, except for the loss.”

Varitek ended a horrible afternoon for Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow (2-4) with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth that made it 9-2.

Morrow gave up a career-worst nine earned runs, 10 hits and three walks in just 4 1-3 innings, the 26-year-old’s shortest outing of the season.

Blue Jays trainers checked on Morrow in the top of the second after he was hit on the back of his right leg by a line drive off the bat of ex-Blue Jay Scutaro.

Reliever Jason Frasor took over with one out in the fifth but fared little better.

He surrendered a hit and a walk before Ortiz hit his 16th homer of the season that stretched Boston’s lead to 12-2.

Boston took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third as five straight Red Sox reached with one out, batting around for the first time.

Back-to-back singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Pedroia set up Adrian Gonzalez, who roped a run-scoring double.

The hit gave the first baseman at least one RBI in eight straight games, extending a new career high he set on Friday when Boston won the series opener 5-1.

Morrow then loaded the bases by intentionally walking Ortiz — after a first-inning single he was 5 for 8 in his career against the right-hander — to face Jed Lowrie, who had never faced Morrow before popping up to end the first.

The move backfired. Morrow hit Lowrie with a pitch to force in a run that made it 2-0.

Carl Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to left before Scutaro hit an RBI single up the middle.

Pedroia had a one-out RBI double in the fourth and two-run double in the eighth. Rajai Davis snapped an 0-for-23 slump with a two-run double that cut Boston’s lead to 5-2 in the fourth.

Edwin Encarnacion’s second home run of the season, a two-run shot off Lackey in the sixth, scored Toronto’s only other runs.

By Tim Britton

The Providence Journal

The Boston Red Sox entered Friday 10 games over .500. They owe 70 percent of that margin solely to their success against the Yankees.

The Red Sox are 8-1 against New York and 28-25 against the rest of Major League Baseball. They’ve racked up more losses in just three home tries against the White Sox and Mariners each than they have in nine games opposing their chief rivals and top AL East competition.

Put another way, Boston reliever Daniel Bard has more losses this season than the Red Sox do to the Yankees, and by a wide margin (4 to 1).

What is behind Boston’s dominance of the Yankees to this point in 2011? Well, like all true forms of dominance, it is simple and all encompassing, unable to be whittled down to a single element. Stated as straightforwardly as possible, the Red Sox have been better at everything when they’ve shared the diamond with the Yankees. They have pitched better, they have hit better, they have fielded better. They’ve even styled around home plate better.

In the nine meetings, the Red Sox have scored 25 more runs. Boston’s ERA is a shade under four runs per game, compared to well over six for New York.

The Yankees have committed six errors to Boston’s three in the nine games.

“If you don’t play well, they’re going to beat you,” Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. “They’ve outplayed us every time we’ve played them so far. They have a good team, that’s the bottom

line. They can hit, they can pitch, they do a little bit of everything. If you don’t play well, they’re going to beat you, and that’s been the case the last couple times.”

Indeed, the narrative of the Red Sox season has been neatly punctuated in meetings with the Yankees. Boston won its first game this year — in its seventh try — when it opened the home schedule with New York. It got over .500 when it won in the Bronx in May. This week, the Red Sox have taken over first place; they hope it’s another milestone worth noting.

Of course, Boston’s early-season success against the Yankees isn’t new; it’s not even as complete as it was in 2009, when Boston won the first eight meetings of the season versus New York. The Yankees, however, came back to win nine of the last 10 games between the squads, meaning that the teams finished the year an even 9-9 facing each other.

“I’m not using that as a barometer,” Boston pitcher Tim Wakefield said of the success against New York this season. “Last time we were 8-0, and you know what happened after that. We’re in June now, games are starting to mean a little more than they (did) in April and May, and we’re playing good baseball now.”

2009 was merely the starkest example of a strange trend in this rivalry. Although the teams have played nearly evenly since Major League Baseball adopted an unbalanced schedule in 2001, the Red Sox win the majority of their games against the Yankees early in the season.

Counting the first nine meetings this season, Boston is 94-99 against New York in the regular season since 2001. In the season’s first three months, though, the Red Sox are 59-39; in the last three, 35-61.

In seven of the last eight years, the Sox have had a winning record over the Yankees before July 1; in seven of the last 10 years, they’ve had a losing record against them after July 1.

That’s a big reason the Yankees have won seven division titles in the last 10 years to Boston’s one. New York has pulled out the key head-to-head meetings in the season’s final months.

“We just try to play and win games, regardless of who it’s against,” said Boston right fielder J.D. Drew. “We understand this is a big rivalry, a big series with division rivals. It’s important to win ballgames.”

Since the season series has been so even for so long, it hasn’t done much to define how the two teams perform against the rest of the league. The Red Sox won 11 of 19 meetings when they won the World Series in 2004; they lost 10 of 18 when they won it in 2007. The teams split their 18 meetings when the Yankees won it all in 2009.

The rivalry is thus more Duke-North Carolina than Patriots-Colts, lacking any kind of cause-and-effect relationship between regular and postseason success. So it’s important, but perhaps not all-important.

“It’s important, but ultimately, it’s (the) overall record. We’re neck and neck right now,” said Drew. “There’s a long ways to go. It’s just a matter of winning ballgames and playing well. Fortunately, we’ve started doing that, and hopefully we continue to roll.”

TORONTO — Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia rejoined the lineup Friday night after missing one game for an exam on his sore right knee.

Pedroia was set to bat second when the Red Sox played at Toronto.

The 2008 AL MVP was in Boston on Thursday while the Red Sox were in New York, beating the Yankees 8-3.

The Red Sox team doctor said Pedroia had a bruised kneecap. Pedroia also said there was a small piece of loose cartilage.

Pedroia and Boston manager Terry Francona said the injury isn’t likely to get any worse if he keeps playing.

“I kind of lucked out. It’s just a bruise,” Pedroia said. “It’s been bugging me for a while. So as long as I can continue to play and just deal with it, it feels good, I guess.”

The 27-year-old Pedroia is hitting .247 this season.

“I think yesterday was important because I think he’ll relax a little bit more now,” Francona said. “I’m sure he has pain in his knee but now he knows he’s not going to hurt himself.”

The Red Sox also recalled right-hander Michael Bowden from Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday and optioned catcher Luis Exposito to the minor league team.