Buchholz pitches 8 innings in Boston's 2-1 win

TORONTO (AP) — Clay Buchholz pitched eight strong innings, pinch-hitter Mike Lowell drove in the go-ahead run with a bases loaded walk and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Tuesday night.

It was Boston's fifth straight victory in Toronto, and their fifth consecutive one-run game. The Red Sox are 4-1 in those games.

One night after the teams combined for 25 runs and 34 hits in battering 13 pitchers, starters Buchholz and Shaun Marcum gave the bullpens a break.

Buchholz (2-2) allowed one run and seven hits to win for the first time in three starts. He walked two, struck out four and lowered his ERA to 2.19.

With closer Jonathan Papelbon getting a day off after working in three of the past four games, right-hander Ramon Ramirez worked the ninth for his first save.

Marcum allowed one run and four hits in seven innings and has four no-decisions in five starts this season. He walked three and struck out five.

Scott Downs (0-3) replaced Marcum in the eighth inning and struck out the first batter, then gave up consecutive singles to Dustin Pedroia and Victor Martinez. Pedroia took third when Kevin Youkilis flied to right and Downs left after walking J.D. Drew to load the bases. Kevin Gregg came on to face Lowell, who batted for David Ortiz, and walked him on four pitches, his first walk this season. Adrian Beltre ended the rally with a liner back to the mound.

Toronto opened the scoring in the first when Fred Lewis singled, took second on a grounder and scored on a two-out double by Vernon Wells.

Boston tied it with a two-out rally in the second. Ortiz walked, went to second on Beltre's single and scored on a base hit by Jeremy Hermida.

Toronto put runners at first and second with two outs in the fourth and fifth but failed to score each time.

Drew doubled to begin the seventh and Beltre drew a one-out walk but Marcum fanned Hermida and got Darnell McDonald to pop out.

Wells reached second on Beltre's throwing error in the eighth but Lyle Overbay struck out looking and Alex Gonzalez flied out.

NOTES: The Red Sox recalled LHP Fabio Castro from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Scott Atchison to Triple-A. ... Boston OF Jacoby Ellsbury (chest contusion) and OF Mike Cameron (abdominal strain) both took swings off a tee and are increasing the intensity of their workouts, according to manager Terry Francona. ... Attendance was 14,776, Toronto's fifth-largest crowd this season.