Bello, Jansen combine for 2-hit shoutout and Red Sox beat Jays

BOSTON (AP) — Brayan Bello delivered the longest outing of his career, pitching eight innings of two-hit ball on Wednesday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bello (12-6) struck out nine and walked one to pick up just his second win in eight starts since the All-Star break. The 25-year-old righty had only pitched into the eighth inning once in his career previously, and he had never recorded more than 24 outs.

Tyler O’Neill homered, Masataka Yoshida had a three hits, and Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 25th save. Boston has beaten Toronto in two straight after being swept in (most of) a doubleheader on Monday.

Chris Bassitt (9-13) allowed one run on five hits and a walk, striking out nine before leaving with two outs in the seventh inning down just 1-0. O’Neill hit a two-run homer off reliever Brendon Little in the eighth to make it 3-0.

Jarren Duran singled to lead off the game, took second on a groundout and scored on Wilyer Abreu’s single to give the Red Sox the lead. Bassitt gave up back-to-back singles to Yoshida and Connor Wong to start the bottom of the seventh – Yoshida’s sinking liner was challenged, but replays showed it short-hopped into the glove of diving center fielder Daulton Varsho.

Bassitt got Romy Gonzalez when his bunt attempt popped up to the catcher, and then Ceddanne Rafaela struck out. With the top of the order up next, Little relieved Bassitt and got Duran to fly out to center.

So it was still 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth when David Hamilton reached on catcher Alejandro Kirk’s error, and O’Neill hit the next pitch over the Green Monster.

UP NEXT

Toronto RHP Bowden Francis (7-3) will face Boston’s Kutter Crawford (8-11) in the series finale Thursday.