TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays' grip on first place in the American League East Division standings weakened again Wednesday after a 7-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer gave up three runs in the first inning and allowed a Masataka Yoshida solo shot in the fifth. Carlos Narvaez iced it with a three-run blast in the eighth inning off reliever Jose Berrios.

Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet (18-5) kept the Rogers Centre crowd of 39,438 hushed by limiting the Blue Jays to three hits over eight shutout innings.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a solo homer for Toronto in the ninth.

Toronto has dropped six of its last seven games. The Red Sox outhit the Blue Jays 12-4.

Toronto's magic number to clinch its first division title since 2015 remained at four. The New York Yankees tied

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