BOSTON -- Mark Buehrle got his major league-leading eighth win with a big boost from Torontos powerful lineup. Pete Maravich Jersey . Neither was surprising. "Look what hes done all year," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said after a 7-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. "Whos pitched better in baseball?" Buehrle (8-1) has eight wins through May for the first time since 2002 and an ERA of 2.16. He gave up two runs in the first two innings, but by then Toronto had seven, starting with homers on consecutive pitches by Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista in the first inning. That gave the Blue Jays a major league-high 67 homers and gave Buehrle a big cushion. The 15-year veteran lefty blanked the Red Sox for his final five innings and allowed seven hits and no walks while striking out five in seven innings. Dustin McGowan pitched two shutout innings as the Blue Jays took a half-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East. "Its nice, obviously" to lead the majors in wins, "but Ive always said you can go out your next eight starts and (stink) and be under .500," Buehrle said. "I try to throw it out the window and get ready for my next start." Toronto improved to 8-2 in its past 10 games, while Boston lost its seventh straight. The Red Sox went 0-6 on their homestand, the first time since June 1994, when they also lost six in a row at Fenway Park, that they were winless on a homestand of at least six games. "Were in a stretch of games here where were giving up too many runs early and were scuffling to score runs," Boston manager John Farrell said. "Thats a dangerous combination." Red Sox ace Jon Lester (4-6) had his worst outing of the season, allowing seven runs and seven hits through 1 1-3 innings. Then he settled down and retired 12 straight batters before giving up a single to Kevin Pillar with one out in the seventh. But Pillar was caught stealing. Lester left with one out in the seventh after allowing 10 hits and striking out just three. He had averaged an AL-best 10.83 strikeouts per nine innings. "The list goes on and on of things that I just flat out didnt do," Lester said. "I just wasnt able to do it with anything. Pick a pitch, I wasnt able to do it." Buehrle retired 11 of his last 12 batters. He began the day tied with Zack Greinke, Rick Porcello and Adam Wainwright with seven wins each. The Dodgers Greinke was scheduled to pitch against the New York Mets on Thursday night. Buehrles only loss came at home against Boston on April 25 when he allowed seven runs in an 8-1 loss. Lester retired the first batter of the game, Jose Reyes, on a grounder. But Cabrera hit a 1-0 pitch for his eighth homer and Bautista followed with his 12th. "You never anticipate that because (Lesters) one of the best," Gibbons said. In the second, six of Torontos first seven batters reached base on five hits and a walk. Steve Tolleson and Pillar singled and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Gose. Reyes doubled in both runners and stole second. Cabrera walked and Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion followed with RBI singles. Bautista came across when Brett Lawrie grounded into a forceout at second, making it 7-1. The inning ended when centre fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. made a diving catch on a fly ball by Dioner Navarro. Boston scored in the first on a leadoff double by Dustin Pedroia and a single by Jonny Gomes then added a run in the second on Xander Bogaerts third homer. NOTES: Toronto manager John Gibbons lost a challenge in the sixth when the on-field ruling that Pillar was caught stealing was upheld. ... Bautista has reached base in 48 of his 49 games. ... Boston has been outscored 37-16 in its seven-game losing streak, its longest since dropping its last eight games in 2012. ... The Red Sox open a three-game series against Tampa Bay on Friday night with John Lackey (5-3) facing Chris Archer (3-2) of the Rays. Toronto returns home to start a three-game set with Oakland, with Liam Hendricks (0-0) pitching against Scott Kazmir (5-1) of the Athletics. The Blue Jays called up Hendricks on Thursday from Triple-A Buffalo, where he was 5-0. R.A. Dickeys start was moved from Friday to Saturday. Cam Reddish Hawks Jersey . The $145.7-million Tim Hortons Field was slated to open this month, a year before it was to host all 32 mens and womens soccer competitions. The delay has forced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team to use a smaller facility for the first two home games of the season. Josh Smith Hawks Jersey . Plata blasted a rising shot to the upper left corner for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He got the kick after referee Allen Chapman ruled Chris Tierney fouled John Stertzer in the penalty area. https://www.thehawkslockerroom.com/Deandre-Hunter-City-Edition-Jersey/ .com) - Theres nothing better for a team than to send out the staff ace in the most important game of the season.JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Captain Richie McCaw is "looking strong and ready to go" against the Springboks at Ellis Park, assistant coach Ian Foster said on Tuesday, boosting the All Blacks hopes of clinching the Rugby Championship title at a ground where they havent won in 16 years. Its also a venue where the 119 times-capped McCaw has surprisingly never played a test, but where he could add another significant achievement to a colossal career. McCaw, missing for the All Blacks last two matches -- the home win over South Africa and away victory in Argentina -- is on course to recover from a knee injury to start in Saturdays decider, Foster said. Having travelled and trained with the team last week in Argentina, McCaw will have to come through full contact sessions in Johannesburg to prove his fitness. "Hes done well. He had a really good week last week in terms of his preparation and training," Foster said. "Clearly we have got a couple of runs this week where he will be tested but hes looking strong and ready to go." The experienced and canny flankers expected return comes as the top-ranked All Blacks look to seal a 12th title in 18 seasons in style at a ground South Africa treasures because of its 1995 World Cup final win over its archrival. But its also a stadium where the New Zealanders are especially motivated to succeed at. "t;In the sheds after the (Argentina) game there was a sense that the boys are pretty excited for this challenge," flyhalf Aaron Cruden said. Charlie Brown Hawks Jersey. "We know its going to be a massive one, the Springboks at Ellis Park. Yeah, theres been a bit of talk about it." While the famous 95 final often forms the backdrop for tests at Ellis Park, New Zealands record at the intimidating 65,000-seat cauldron is not great. It last won there in 1997 and has lost three out of four since the 95 final. The Springboks have always drawn inspiration from their achievements at Ellis, yet New Zealand has overcome almost every challenge and every big game it has faced since winning the World Cup two years ago. "Yeah, we keep having lots of those (big games). The media keep telling us its the next one, the big one," assistant coach Foster said. "Im not going to debate it. You can call it what you like. Quite frankly it is a big game. Theres a title on the line, theres a whole lot of things on the line. Weve had a few of those and weve just got to keep climbing the mountain." Despite the All Blacks needing only a losing bonus point to win the Rugby Championship, Foster said there was no question they would still go for a sixth win from six in the competition: "We like getting the ball and playing. Thats what we train for," he said. ' ' '