Dustin Pedroia's double in 11th helps Boston Red Sox win

TORONTO -- Clay Buchholz found some relief pitching out of the bullpen on Sunday afternoon.

And so did the Boston Red Sox.

The right-hander has struggled so much that he was removed from the starting rotation and put in the bullpen.

Making his first relief appearance since Aug. 17, 2008, he accomplished something that has been so difficult for him as a starter -- he won.

Buchholz (3-5) pitched around a single in the bottom of the 10th, then watched as Dustin Pedroia broke a tie with an RBI double in the 11th to send the Red Sox on their way to a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Red Sox (30-20) avoided being swept in the three-game series with an American League East rival and ended a four-game winning streak by the Blue Jays (26-26).

"It's fun to go extra innings and win and not get swept, especially here in the division," Buchholz said. "Glad I could contribute today. I needed a breather from everything."

"He handled it very well," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "He had a good cutter, a good fastball."

Toronto right-hander Gavin Floyd (2-4) walked Blake Swihart with one out in the 11th. He walked Mookie Betts on a wild pitch that sent Swihart to third. Right-hander Drew Storen took over and allowed Pedroia's ground-rule double to right-center field.

Betts scored on a groundout to shortstop by Xander Bogaerts, who earlier in the game extended his career-high hit streak to 22 games.

Koji Uehara pitched the bottom of the 11th to earn his first save of the season.

"It was a good series for us, we played good baseball," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It was one of those series, two good teams going at it."

Gibbons said that Gavin, who has been relatively dependable in a struggling bullpen, has been worn down by frequent use lately and it is probable there will be reinforcements for the relief corps.

"He's been pitching a lot." Gibbons said. "He has a lot of innings over his career, he's had some arm issues. We're trying to be careful with him but the way the games have been going in the last week. ...I'd say he's been worn down."

The Blue Jays led 2-0 on Jose Bautista's 11th homer of the season in the fifth that followed a single by Ezequiel Carrera.

Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey lost a no-hitter in the sixth on a one-out triple by Betts, and the Red Sox went on to score three runs in the inning.

Edwin Encarnacion led off the eighth with his 10th homer of the season to tie the game at 3-3.

Boston left-hander David Price allowed five hits, three walks and two runs while striking out three in 6 1/3 innings in his first appearance at Rogers Centre since being traded to the Blue Jays last season.

When he left the game in the seventh, he received an ovation.

"That felt good, for sure," Price said. "A standing ovation is always good. It's not very common to get one whenever you're away from home."

Dickey allowed three hits, four walks and three runs in 5 1/3 innings. He also hit a batter with the bases loaded.

"I pitched just well enough that we had a shot. I wouldn't consider it a great outing but I wouldn't consider it a bad outing, either," Dickey said. "You keep winning series throughout the year you're going to end up where you want to at the end. We're on the right path."

Pedroia followed Betts' sixth-inning triple with an RBI single to left. Bogaerts singled and Travis Shaw walked to load the bases.

Dickey hit Hanley Ramirez with a pitch to force in the tying run and was replaced by Chad Girodo, who walked Jackie Bradley Jr. to bring home Boston's third run.

Price left in the seventh after Carrera led off with an infield hit to first when Shaw slipped and fell after fielding the chopper. Carrera and was sacrificed to second by Josh Thole.

Heath Hembree replaced Price and finished the inning with a strikeout of Bautista and a fly to right by Josh Donaldson.

NOTES: Boston DH David Ortiz (sore left foot) was a late scratch from the lineup and is listed as day-to-day. Ortiz struck out on a pitch from RHP Marcus Stroman that hit him on the foot Saturday but was able to continue. ... The Red Sox suffered their first walk-off loss of the season Saturday when the Blue Jays scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to win 10-9. ... The Blue Jays continue their six-game homestand against AL East rivals when they open a three-game series with the Yankees on Monday. Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (2-2, 2.76 ERA) will oppose New York RHP Ivan Nova (3-2, 3.65 ERA) in the opener. Estrada has the worst run support of any Toronto starting pitcher at 2.5 runs per game. ... The Red Sox start a four-game series at Baltimore on Monday. Boston RHP Steven Wright (4-4, 2.52 ERA) will open against Orioles RHP Tyler Wilson (2-3, 3.80 ERA). ... Red Sox C Ryan Hanigan, who has been dealing with an illness, will likely start behind the plate Monday. He entered the game Sunday in the ninth inning.