Red Sox ride momentum into series finale with Jays (Sep 06, 2017)

BOSTON -- Maybe the Boston Red Sox will be able to steal another win Wednesday night.

The baseball world was abuzz Tuesday when news broke that the Red Sox were under investigation by Major League Baseball for the alleged use of electronic devices to steal signs against the rival New York Yankees.

As the league sorted out the details, the scuffling Red Sox stole a win against the Toronto Blue Jays with a come-from-behind, 3-2 victory in 19 innings in a six-hour affair that ended early Wednesday.

Boston turns its attention to earning an important series victory against Toronto in the series finale Wednesday night.

The Red Sox (78-61) boosted their lead atop the American League East to 3 1/2 games following the New York Yankees' last collapse in a 7-6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

"Sometimes it's not going to be easy," said Boston's Hanley Ramirez, who delivered the walk-off RBI single in the 19th. "There's a lot of things in our way, but nothing's going to stop us to continue to go where we want to go and what we want to be. We want to be a champion."

Meanwhile, Toronto (64-75) lost for the third time in four games and fell to 4-11 against Boston this season despite pounding out four home runs Monday in a 10-4, series-opening victory.

"Really for me it's about the effort that these guys put forth for 19 innings," acting Blue Jays manager DeMarlo Hale said. "Losing is tough, but the effort I think builds character."

Boston sends journeyman right-hander Doug Fister (4-7, 4.19 ERA) to the mound Wednesday to make the start against Toronto right-hander Joe Biagini (3-9, 5.01).

Fister has been on a nice run as of late, going 4-2 with a 3.05 ERA while taking the place of injured Red Sox ace David Price in the rotation.

However, his numbers against the Blue Jays this season have not been as impressive. Fister is 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA over 9 1/3 innings in two starts against Toronto in 2017.

Most recently, Fister allowed six runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks while striking out three over 4 1/3 innings during a loss to Toronto on July 20.

That defeat marked the fourth of Fister's five straight dropped decisions to begin his Red Sox career.

Overall, Fister is 2-3 with a 3.72 ERA in nine career starts opposite the Blue Jays.

Kendrys Morales is an impressive 9-for-27 with three home runs and five RBIs lifetime versus Fister. Justin Smoak (4-for-18) has two home runs and four RBIs against him.

Meanwhile, Biagini is hoping his strikeout pitch will carry over from his Friday start against the Baltimore Orioles, when he fanned a career-high 10 batters over a career-high-tying seven innings.

Biagini allowed no runs on five hits and one walk while coaxing a career-best 14 ground balls out of Orioles batters, but he did not factor in the decision in the Blue Jays' 1-0 loss.

Boston is a familiar opponent for Biagini, who is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 14 career games against the Red Sox. Only one of those appearances was a start -- July 2 in Toronto. Biagini was lit up by the Red Sox bats to the tune of seven runs on 10 hits and two walks in a 5 1/3-inning defeat, a game Boston went on to win 15-1.

However, Biagini struck out seven Boston batters to tie his previous career high before Friday.

Mookie Betts is 5-for-9 with two home runs and seven RBIs opposite Biagini, while Hanley Ramirez is 2-for-11 with a home run and three RBIs vs. the righty.