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Sanchez Pitches 7 Innings, Blue Jays Blank Sox 7-0

Aaron Sanchez did something Friday night that no Toronto starter had done this season: hold the opposition off the scoreboard for at least five innings.

Josh Donaldson and Chris Colabello hit solo home runs, Sanchez pitched a career-high seven innings and Toronto beat the struggling Boston Red Sox 7-0, the 3,000th win in Blue Jays history.

"I was trying to get as many outs as I possibly could until they came and grabbed the ball," said Sanchez, whose previous long outing was 5 2-3 innings, set in each of his past two starts.

Sanchez (3-2) allowed two hits, walked five and struck out three to win for the third time in four starts.

"He was as strong as we've seen all year," manager John Gibbons said.

Donaldson connected off the facing of the third deck in the first inning and Colabello added an opposite field shot in the second. Both homers came off Wade Miley (1-4), who lost his third straight start.

The Red Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games. They came in having scored just 15 runs in their previous six, posting a team batting average of .214 in that span.

Things didn't go much better against the Blue Jays. Dustin Pedroia's one-out single in the first was their only hit through the first seven innings, and Pedroia was immediately erased on a double play.

Boston used two walks and a hit batter to load the bases with no outs in the fourth, a situation manager John Farrell called a "golden opportunity."

The Red Sox didn't strike gold, however. Sanchez escaped by striking out Blake Swihart looking, then getting Xander Bogaerts to ground into a double play. Those were the first two in a streak of 11 consecutive batters retired by Sanchez.

"The way we're going right now, offensively, two runs seems like a big gap, to be honest with you," Farrell said.

Boston was without slugger David Ortiz, who lost his appeal of a one-game suspension for bumping umpire John Tumpane in an April 19 game at Fenway Park. The Red recalled first baseman Travis Shaw from Triple-A Pawtucket to start at first base, while Napoli was the DH. Shaw was optioned back to Pawtucket following the game and will be replaced by a pitcher Saturday.

The Red Sox went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position against Toronto and are 4 for 52 in such situations this month.

"This will get better when we get back to full strength," Farrell said. "David (Ortiz) comes back to us tomorrow, Hanley (Ramirez) is close to that, so better days are ahead."

Sanchez left after giving up a walk and a single to begin the eighth. Aaron Loup came on and retired Pedroia, Pablo Sandoval and Mike Napoli. Steve Delabar finished in the ninth.

Miley allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out a season-high eight.

"It's always difficult when you go through a stretch like this," Miley said of Boston's recent slump. "It's on us to get out of it."

NO MERCY, NO APOLOGY

Major League Baseball upheld a 14-game suspension for Blue Jays hitting coach Brook Jacoby, who's accused of pinning umpire Doug Eddings against a wall in a dugout tunnel at Fenway Park on April 29. Jacoby's appeal hearing was held Friday. In a statement, Jacoby said he was "wrongly accused of contacting an umpire," adding that he would not apologize. "I'm in no way going to apologize for what happened and feel that the penalties were very biased, harsh, and unfair," he said. Gibbons was fined an undisclosed amount for actions that ramped up the dispute.

FARRELL FILLS IN

Farrell is temporarily handling the duties of pitching coach following Thursday's firing of Juan Nieves. Farrell said Boston is "working through some logistics" with its new hire and could announce a replacement as early as Saturday.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: Ramirez (left shoulder) took swings, hit off the tee and hit in the cage before the game. He's scheduled to take regular batting practice Saturday. Farrell called it "an encouraging day" for Ramirez and said a DL stint is less likely than before, but acknowledged there's still no timetable for Ramirez's return. ... OF Shane Victorino (right hamstring) went 0 for 3 and struck out once in his first rehab game at Double-A Portland. He's scheduled to play for Portland again Saturday and could rejoin the Red Sox for Monday's game at Oakland.

Blue Jays: INF-OF Danny Valencia returned after sitting out the past two games with a sore ankle but fell awkwardly after overrunning second base in the sixth and was replaced by Ezequiel Carrera in the seventh. ... SS Jose Reyes (left ribs) was cleared to resume baseball activities Friday after an MRI on Thursday. Reyes took ground balls and hit off a tee.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly (1-1, 5.72) is winless in his past four starts but 5-0 in eight career road games against AL opponents. Kelly struck out a career-high 10 in an April 27 start against Toronto.

Blue Jays: RHP Drew Hutchison (2-0, 7.47) has allowed six earned runs in each of his past two starts, including an April 28 outing at Boston, but has yet to lose a game this season.

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