Tapia's homer lifts Jays past Red Sox
Jose Berrios won for the 1st time in 3 starts this season
Raimel Tapia hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in a five-run second inning for his first RBIs this season, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 Wednesday night.
Jose Berrios (1-0) won for the first time in three starts this season, allowing one run and eight hits in six innings with six strikeouts and one walk. He lowered his ERA from 11.81 to 6.35.
"They have a pretty good lineup, a great team. We like to compete against a team like that," Berrios said. "I came to have fun, compete, and I did it. Nothing's going to be easy, so you have to find a way."
Left-hander Tim Mayza got two outs while allowing two hits, and right-handers Trevor Richards and Julian Merryweather combined for 2 1/3 hitless innings.
Nick Pivetta (0-3) gave up five runs, seven hits and four walks in four innings. His ERA rose from 9.39 to 10.03, and the 29-year-old Canadian right-hander failed to reach the fifth inning for his second straight start.
J.D. Martinez had an RBI single in the first that drove in Rafael Devers, who had doubled. Martinez left with left adductor tightness after doubling to lead off the third.
Matt Chapman singled leading off the second, and Tapia homered to right for a 2-1 lead. Pivetta walked Santiago Espinal on a full count and Alejandro Kirk on four pitches, and Cavan Biggio's single loaded the bases.
George Springer hit a sacrifice fly, and Bo Bichette followed with a two-run single for a 5-1 lead.
Espinal added a seventh-inning sacrifice fly. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Tapia stole bases in the inning after Toronto entered with three this season.
"The approach was better," Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. "We saw more pitches, not in the first couple of innings but after that we saw a lot of pitches and we made their guy throw a lot of pitches. That's what you want as a lineup."
