Another late rally gets Red Sox by Blue Jays

Toronto, ON – Pedro Ciriaco's RBI double in the ninth lifted the Boston Red Sox over the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2, in the middle contest of a three-game set.

Cody Ross homered and scored twice, while Jarrod Saltalamacchia added two hits and drove in a run for the Red Sox, who have taken the first two in the series.

"It's always a good sign when we keep on fighting. It's not like we're going to lay down and die," Saltalamacchia said. "Even though we're as far out as we are, it shows a lot about the character of the club."

Craig Breslow (1-0) tossed a scoreless eighth and Andrew Bailey followed suit in the ninth for his fourth save and second in as many games.

Yunel Escobar and Adam Lind each drove in a run for the Blue Jays, who have dropped four of five overall.

Steve Delabar (4-2) surrendered the deciding run over his 1 1/3 relief frames.

Saltalamacchia greeted the Toronto reliever with a leadoff double in the ninth, then after the next two batters were retired, Ciriaco's two-bagger to left brought in the lead run. Brett Cecil was summoned, but Ciriaco stole third and Jacoby Ellsbury walked before Daniel Nava fanned swinging.

"His at-bats are as good as anyone here," said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine of Ciriaco. "He hits a 2-1 breaking ball there. He's going to develop into a good player."

Bailey allowed a two-out single to Anthony Gose in the home half, but struck out Rajai Davis to end the game.

The Jays hit the scoreboard in the home first, as Escobar singled home Edwin Encarnacion. It could have been 2-0, but Lind was thrown out at the plate.

Ross began the second with a shot to left, and in the third Ross walked with one out, moved up on a James Loney single and scored on a Saltalamacchia base hit.

Toronto equalized in the fifth, when Lind's fly to center with the bases loaded scored Gose.

Game Notes

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia returned to the lineup following a 2- game absence for the birth of his second child ... Toronto fell to 10-7 against Boston this season, and 3-5 at home ... Sox starter Clay Buchholz lasted seven innings, giving up four hits and two runs -- one earned -- while fanning five and walking five ... Counterpart Carlos Villanueva exited after seven-plus frames, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out six and issuing a pair of walks.