BOSTON – John Lackey’s shortest start as a member of the Boston Red Sox was a very long 21/3 innings.

Lackey allowed seven runs on nine hits as the Toronto Blue Jays took a huge lead early, then tacked on a couple runs at the end to hold off Boston in a 9-7 win on Monday.

Additional Photos

Manager Terry Francona, left, takes the ball from starting pitcher John Lackey in the third inning Monday as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Adrian Gonzalez look on. Photos by The Associated Press

Dustin Pedroia reacts after striking out in the ninth inning Monday against the Blue Jays. Boston spotted Toronto a 7-0 lead before climbing back into the game.

Toronto’s Aaron Hill is safe at home as Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia takes a late throw in the third inning Monday afternoon at Fenway Park in Boston. Toronto won 9-7, snapping Boston’s win streak at four games.

Lackey (5-8) said his velocity was good, but his location was not and the Blue Jays took advantage, scoring one in the first, two in the second and four in the third.

“I would have fixed it if I had known” what was causing the struggles, Lackey said. “Some soft ones fell in on good pitches and made some bad pitches that got hit hard. It kind of all added up to that.”

Lackey had never failed to make it through at least the third inning since he joined Boston last season. He had thrown more than 60 pitches before getting an out in the third inning and his 65th pitch was lined down the right-field line for a double by Travis Snider.

Boston fans cheered when Manager Terry Francona walked out of the dugout to pull Lackey, then booed as the big right-hander slowly walked to the dugout with his head down the entire way.

Toronto snapped Boston’s four-game winning streak, which included a weekend sweep of Houston — the team with the worst record in the majors. But spotting the Blue Jays a 7-0 lead, then allowing runs in the seventh and eighth innings was too much for Boston to overcome.

“You don’t know what’s too much or not enough. We actually had a chance,” Francona said. “We gave it a run, but that’s a tough way to win. When they score that much early and then they add on at all, it makes it difficult.”

Snider, recalled earlier Monday from Triple-A Las Vegas, had three doubles and drove in a pair of runs and Aaron Hill homered for Toronto, which had lost 9 of 14.

Jacoby Ellsbury had a two-run triple and tied his career best with four hits for the Red Sox, who didn’t get a runner past third base until the fifth.

Toronto starter Brandon Morrow (5-4) allowed four runs on five hits, walking three and striking out five over five-plus innings. It was his third victory in four starts.

Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis left the game in the fourth after getting hit in the upper back. Francona said the Sox pulled Youkilis for precautionary reasons and he would be evaluated today.

Boston rallied early and again late, cutting it to 9-7 with three runs in the eighth, but Frank Francisco got the final three outs for his 10th save. He struck out Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez and Yamaico Navarro with a runner on second.

Related Stories