By IAN HARRISON, Associated Press

Garrett Crochet pitched eight shutout innings, Masataka Yoshida and Carlos Narváez homered, and the Boston Red Sox beat the slumping Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 on Wednesday night.

Trevor Story had three hits as Boston won for the fourth time in five games and inched closer to securing an American League wild card.

Crochet (18-5) struck out six, walked none and allowed three hits to win his fifth straight decision.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa homered off Payton Tolle in the ninth for Toronto.

The slumping Blue Jays lost for the sixth time in seven games. They've scored one run or fewer in all six of those defeats.

The Blue Jays began the day with the AL's best record and a one-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.

Torontos slugger Vladimir Guerrero J

See Full Page