BOSTON -- Drew Pomeranz gave the tired Boston Red Sox just what they needed Wednesday night.

Again.

The left-hander, pitching after his team played 58 innings in five games over the previous four days, won his fourth straight and seventh in his past eight decisions in a 5-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Pomeranz (10-4) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings to become Boston's second 10-game winner.

"Drew has been outstanding," Boston manager John Farrell said. "He's on a pretty substantial run here of quality starts, given (us) a chance to win. We've responded well when he's been on the mound."

Dustin Pedroia drove in three runs in the Red Sox's seventh win in nine games against the Blue Jays this year.

Deven Merrero and Pedroia both had two-out, two-run singles in a four-run second inning aided by a Josh Donaldson error. Pedroia knocked in another run with an infield hit in the fourth.

Pomeranz yielded only an unearned run on three hits and five walks. He struck out three.

"I always say it's always a personal goal of mine to stay in the game longer," said Pomeranz, who started one of three ground-ball double plays in the game. "I've been pitching well, but I've been going six innings. But I'd like to get a little further and a little deeper into the game. Having that goal and mindset really helps everyone out."

The win extended the Red Sox's lead in the American League East to three games over the Tampa Bay Rays and 4 1/2 over the New York Yankees, both losers earlier in the day.

The only run off Pomeranz was actually fueled by Pedroia's first error in 115 games. Heath Hembree and the just-recalled Ben Taylor finished.

The Red Sox (54-42) are 9-2 in Pomeranz's past 11 starts, and he has beaten the last-place Jays twice this month. His recent run came after a dugout confrontation with Farrell in Oakland.

Pedroia, who has 10 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak, collected his third and fourth two-out hits with runners in scoring position in the first three games of the series. He is 18-for-38 (.487) with 23 RBIs with two outs and runners in scoring position this season.

"He's a money player," said Farrell. "That's been on display. That was again here tonight -- he's been the right man in the right spot."

Toronto starter Aaron Sanchez, 15-2 last season before suffering through an injury-plagued 2017, lasted four innings and saw his four-game winning streak against the Red Sox snapped. Sanchez (1-3) left with a blister but expressed confidence in making his next start even though he has been on the DL with the same ailment three times this season.

"It's one of those things," he said of the blister. "I don't (know) what else to talk about, about the blister. It just started forming midway through the game. I kept going and it got worse. The right thing to do was kind of catch it before things got worse."

The Blue Jays (43-51) fell 10 games behind Boston and two games behind the fourth-place Baltimore Orioles in the East.

The Red Sox scored four runs in the second inning despite several baserunning mistakes -- one leading to a double play. Marrero's bouncing single up the middle brought home the first two runs, and Pedroia delivered the next two.

"I don't think he was that bad," Toronto manager John Gibbons said of Sanchez. "He got some ground balls and they snuck some through. Pedroia dunked one in. A ball left or right here and it's a closer ballgame, but we didn't do much on offense."

Pedroia's 114-game streak without an error was the longest by a second baseman since Darwin Barney had a 141-gamer with the Cubs in 2012. Barney, now with the Blue Jays, hit the ball that ended Pedroia's streak.

NOTES: Boston SS Xander Bogaerts missed his second straight game with a right hand injury, but the hope is he can play Thursday in the series finale. ... The Red Sox recalled RHPs Ben Taylor and Kyle Martin from Triple-A Pawtucket. They sent RHP Hector Velazquez, Tuesday night's winning pitcher, and LHP Brian Johnson, Tuesday's starter, back to Pawtucket. ... 3B Pablo Sandoval cleared waivers and became a free agent, with the Red Sox owing him almost $50 million. He reportedly was close to re-signing with the San Francisco Giants. ... The Jays placed RHP Mike Bolsinger, Tuesday night's loser, on the 10-day disabled list with knee inflammation and recalled RHP Cesar Valdez from Triple-A Buffalo. Valdez pitched four scoreless innings Wednesday. ... RHP Joe Smith, slated to come off the DL, instead was set for one more rehab effort at Buffalo and should rejoin the Jays on Friday. ... LHP Francisco Liriano, who left his last start with neck stiffness, passed all tests and will start against Boston RHP Doug Fister in the Thursday matinee.