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Doubront Earns Win As Red Sox Beat Blue Jays, 7-4

Felix Doubront won for the fifth time in six starts, Nick Punto homered and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 Saturday.

Punto fell a triple shy of the cycle and drove in two runs to lead Boston to its 10th win in 14 games. Daniel Nava also had two RBIs as the Red Sox (28-25) moved a season-high three games above .500.

Doubront (6-2) allowed three runs, two earned, and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, improving to 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA in his past five starts. The left-hander walked one, struck out seven and matched a career-high by allowing two home runs.

Doubront, who matched his longest start of the season, has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his past five outings.

Jose Bautista and Jeff Mathis each hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays, who have lost seven of 10 and fell into last place in the AL East. Eight of the past nine runs scored by Toronto, dating to Wednesday's win over Baltimore, have come on solo homers.

Matt Albers got two outs in relief. Andrew Miller retired the only batter he faced, Vicente Padilla worked 2-3 of an inning and Alfredo Aceves finished in the ninth for his 14th save in 17 chances.

The Red Sox jumped on Blue Jays right-hander Kyle Drabek with a four-run, two-out rally in the second. Will Middlebrooks hit an RBI single, Punto doubled home a run and two runs scored when Nava's single dropped in front of center fielder Colby Rasmus, who appeared to misjudge the ball.

Mathis answered for Toronto in the third with a solo homer that bounced off the top of the right field wall, his third, but the Red Sox made it 5-1 in the fourth when Kevin Youkilis doubled, took third on Bautista's throwing error and scored on Middlebrooks' double-play grounder.

The Blue Jays got an unearned run in the bottom half when David Cooper reached on Doubront's fielding error, advanced to second on a Mathis bunt and scored on Kelly Johnson's single to left.

Bautista, who flied out with men at first and second in the third, cut it to 5-3 when he homered to center to begin the fifth, his 13th.

Boston added an insurance run in the eighth. David Ortiz hit a one-out single and Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked, bringing Francisco Cordero on to replace Darren Oliver. Kevin Youkilis walked to load the bases and Ryan Sweeney hit an RBI groundout.

An errant throw by Sweeney allowed the Blue Jays to score in the bottom half. With Edwin Encarnacion on first, Brett Lawrie grounded a single into right. Sweeney tried to return the ball to the infield but ended up throwing it behind second base, and was forced to chase it down himself as Encarnacion scored all the way from second.

Punto replied in the bottom half with a second deck drive to right, his first homer of the season.

Drabek (4-6), who gave up a season-high nine runs in three innings at Texas last week, lost his second straight start. The right-hander allowed five runs, four earned, and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He walked four and struck out four.

NOTES: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia took batting practice before the game, the first time he has swung the bat since suffering a slightly torn muscle in his right thumb last Monday. Pedroia has missed the past five games. ... The Blue Jays claimed RHP Chris Schwinden off waivers from the New York Mets and designated RHP Daniel Farquhar for assignment. ... Toronto RHP Sergio Santos (shoulder) threw 25 pitches from the mound during a bullpen session at extended spring training Friday and is scheduled to throw again Monday. ... Nava, who has made 23 straight starts, is expected to get the day off Sunday. ... Boston's Adrian Gonzalez started in RF but moved to 1B in the seventh. ... Attendance was 43,390, Toronto's biggest crowd since opening day.

This program aired on June 2, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.

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