Kevin Youkilis homers, Clay Buchholz wins season debut as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 4-1

Youkilis homers as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 4-1

TORONTO — Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run homer, Clay Buchholz pitched 5 2-3 innings to earn his first major league win in more than a year and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Friday night.

David Ortiz added a two-run double as Boston opened the second half by winning its fourth straight.

Toronto has lost 13 of 16 to drop a season-high three games below .500.

Called up from Triple-A Pawtucket, where he was 7-2 with a 2.36 ERA, Buchholz (1-0) made his first major league start since Aug. 20. The win was his first since May 2, 2008.

Buchholz threw a no-hitter against Baltimore in his second career start in 2007. He struggled last season and was sent to the minors on Aug. 21 after going 0-7 with a 9.21 ERA in his previous 10 games.

Against Toronto, the right-hander allowed one run and four hits. He left after a two-out single by Lyle Overbay and a walk to Alex Rios put runners at first and second. Daniel Bard came on and struck out Jose Bautista to end the inning.

Bard got four outs, Hideki Okajima worked the eighth and Jonathan Papelbon finished for his 24th save in 26 chances.

Blue Jays rookie Ricky Romero (7-4) lost for the first time in seven starts, allowing four runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. The lefty matched a season high with five walks and struck out eight.

Youkilis connected for his 17th homer in the first and Ortiz doubled off the top of the left-field wall in the fifth to give the Red Sox a 4-1 lead.

Rios hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth for Toronto.

NOTES: Boston activated 3B Mike Lowell (hip) off the 15-day disabled list before the game and designated SS Julio Lugo for assignment. 1B Aaron Bates was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for Buchholz. … OF Jacoby Ellsbury (illness) was scratched from Boston’s lineup and replaced by Rocco Baldelli. … The Blue Jays were without OF Vernon Wells (stomach virus). … Overbay had three of Toronto’s five hits. … Blue Jays LHP Brian Tallet, who has won just once in six starts, will pitch out of the bullpen for now as the Blue Jays use off days to go with a four-man rotation over the next few weeks. … Toronto signed its fourth-round pick in June’s draft, SS Ryan Goins from Dallas Baptist University.