The Red Sox have won three straight after losing 10 of their previous 14 games, while the Twins have lost three in a row after winning six of nine.

Twins reliever Josh Roenicke (1-1) gave up a single and a walk to open the 10th. After a sacrifice bunt, Stephen Drew was intentionally walked to load the bases. Then Gomes sent a drive to center field, where Aaron Hicks caught the ball but double-clutched on his throw and didn’t have a chance to get the speedy Dustin Pedroia.

Alex Wilson (1-0) picked up the victory by getting the last out of the ninth, and Koji Uehara threw a perfect 10th for his first save.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (falconsahl.com) – The Springfield Falcons (3-5) saw their postseason run come to an end on Friday night in a 5-2 loss to the Syracuse Crunch (7-0) at the War Memorial Arena.

The Falcons were swept by the Crunch in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals, bringing a season to an end that saw Springfield set multiple franchise marks, including the best record in team history.

The Crunch will move on in the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs to face the either the Providence Bruins or the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final.

Springfield faced an uphill climb throughout Game 4, as Syracuse struck twice in the first period to grab command of the contest.

J.T. Wyman gained possession of a puck along the end boards, fed Philip-Michael Devos, and darted to the front of the net. Wyman took a feed from Devos, and jammed his second chance past Falcons goaltender Curtis McElhinney at 6:04, as the Crunch held a 1-0 edge.

Vladislav Namestnikov sped through the neutral zone and flew to the net to start the Crunch’s second scoring play. After arriving at the goal, Namestnikov’s shot was slowed by McElhinney, but Mark Barberio charged the cage and tapped in a loose puck at 7:32, as Syracuse upped its lead to 2-0.

Springfield, which was shut out by Syracuse goaltender Cedrick Desjardins in Game 3 on Wednesday, broke through in the second period to draw to within one.

Ryan Craig, with the Falcons working on a power play, tipped a David Savard blue-line shot past Desjardins just five seconds into the man advantage at 3:38, making it 2-1.

Syracuse gained momentum back, scoring to go up by two again later in the period.

Wyman, who had a chance in the opening 10 seconds of the game before connecting later in the first, capitalized on another opportunity by snapping a wrister over McElhinney’s glove from the left circle on a two-on-one rush. His goal increased Syracuse’s cushion to 3-1 at 17:20.

The Falcons refused to go down without a fight, and Andrew Joudrey’s goal at 8:35 of the third gave the club hope in what would prove to be the final period of the year. Boone Jenner’s shot from the top of the crease was stopped by Desjardins, but Joudrey whacked the rebound in to narrow the gap to 3-2.

Matt Taormina converted moments after keeping the puck in at the blue line to provide the Crunch with breathing room. His shot from the high slot soared by McElhinney’s stick at 9:45, as Syracuse added to its lead, 4-2.

With McElhinney on the bench for the extra attacker, Dan Sexton sealed it all with an empty-net goal from center ice at 18:01, as the Crunch won Game 4, 5-2, and the series, 4-0.

McElhinney (3-5) battled through 39 shots, allowing four goals. Desjardins (7-0) made 28 saves on 30 attempts, as Syracuse won for the seventh-consecutive time to begin the playoffs.

Springfield had advanced in the postseason to face Syracuse after defeating the Manchester Monarchs in the best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, 3-1. Cody Bass became the third player in AHL history to score overtime goals in back-to-back contests of a playoff series by registering the winning tallies in Games 1 and 2 of that series. The Falcons moved on in the postseason when Nick Drazenovic ended Game 4 in sudden death on the road, as Springfield became the second team in AHL history to win three overtime decisions in a best-of-five series.

The Falcons, whose record in the regular season of 45-22-5-4 was the best in franchise history in terms of points percentage (.651), put together a campaign not seen in their first 18 years.

Springfield finished the season a franchise-record 23 games above .500, and tied the club mark of victories in one year of 45, initially set in 1997-98. The Falcons lost 22 games in regulation, matching the team low from 1995-96.

With the consistent goaltending of McElhinney and a strong defensive core, the Falcons allowed the fewest goals in one season of 186, shattering the previous club valley of 215 from 1995-96. McElhinney led the AHL with nine shutouts, the most by a goaltender in one season in the 70-year history of AHL hockey in Springfield.

Springfield was playing in the AHL’s Conference Semifinals for the third time in franchise history, and first since 1997…The Falcons were led in scoring during the series at three points by Craig (2g-1a), Jenner (1g-2a), and Nick Holden (0g-3a). Jenner and Savard each posted two goals and three assists for five points to top Springfield in the postseason…Bryan Helmer made his 2013 postseason debut and skated in his AHL-record 159th Calder Cup Playoff game…Dalton Smith made his professional playoff debut

Marchand, Boston’s top goal scorer in the regular season, got his first of the postseason on a pass from Patrice Bergeron. Marchand had carried the puck up the right side, passed it to Bergeron and kept going toward the net. Bergeron passed across the slot and Marchand tipped it past goalie Henrik Lundqvist from the left side of the crease.

The Bruins carried the play throughout overtime. They applied constant pressure, but couldn’t score during a power play when Derek Dorsett was penalized for interference at 2:20 of overtime.

Boston nearly won in regulation, but Johnny Boychuk‘s shot from the right point clanged off the left post with one-tenth of a second remaining. Then he hit the left post at the other end of the ice at 6:34 of overtime.

Zdeno Chara gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 12:23 of the second before Ryan McDonagh tied it with 1.3 seconds left in the period. Derek Stepan put the Rangers ahead 2-1 just 14 seconds into the third period, and Torey Krug tied it on a power play with his first NHL goal in four career games.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals is set for Sunday night in Boston.

Both teams advanced with Game 7 victories Monday night. The Bruins overcame a three-goal deficit with 11 minutes left in regulation and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on Bergeron’s goal in overtime. The Rangers beat the Washington Capitals 5-0 behind Lundqvist’s second consecutive shutout.

On Thursday, the Bruins played without three injured veteran defensemen: Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden. Three rookies started on defense: Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski and Krug, who was called up from Providence of the AHL after Seidenberg was hurt early in the first period Monday night.

The Bruins ended Lundqvist’s shutout streak at 152 minutes, 23 seconds when he gave up Chara’s soft goal. Lundqvist appeared to have a good view of the 50-foot slap shot from just in front of the middle of the blue line and got a piece of the puck, but it trickled by him.

That lead nearly held up through the second period. But when Boychuk passed it from in front of his net to Tyler Seguin in the right circle, Rick Nash hit Sequin’s stick and the puck went to McDonagh at the left point.

McDonagh’s rising slap shot soared over the right arm of goalie Tuukka Rask. Stepan then made it 2-1 on a 30-foot shot from the slot through Rask’s legs, two goals in 15.3 seconds.

Krug tied the game with teammate David Krejci in front of the net trying to screen Lundqvist. The shot from just inside the top of the left circle went under Lundqvist’s left arm.

Game notes
Stepan’s goal was the sixth against the Bruins in the first two minutes of a period in their eight playoff games. … The teams last met in the playoffs in 1973 when the Rangers won the first-round series in five games. The previous year, they faced each other in the Stanley Cup finals, and the Bruins won in six. … Both teams’ leading goal scorers in the regular season had no goals in eight playoff games heading in. New York’s Nash stretched that unwanted string to nine, but Marchand’s goal won the game. . … Boston’s Jaromir Jagr, a former Ranger, is the only player on either team who had been born the last time the teams met in the playoffs on April 10, 1973.

Middlebrooks lined a shot to left on a 1-2 pitch from Rodney (1-2) with the bases loaded, giving the Red Sox the lead. Rodney, who blew just two saves last year, is 7 for 10 in save opportunities this year.

After walking Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, Rodney struck out Mike Napoli before loading the bases with a walk to Daniel Nava. Stephen Drew struck out, but Middlebrooks then came up with his bases-clearing hit.

Junichi Tazawa (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. He retired James Loney on a grounder with two on and two outs in the ninth.

Felix Doubront gave up two runs, three hits, six walks and had seven strikeouts over five-plus innings for the Red Sox, who are 6-9 in May. He threw 104 pitches, including 54 strikes.

Doubront pitched once in relief since his last start May 3 as the Red Sox have worked on the left-hander’s delivery. His 1-0 pitch in the third to Luke Scott slipped out his hand and ended up in foul territory between home and first.

Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb allowed one run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

Cobb struck out 13 in 4 2/3 innings last Friday night against San Diego, becoming the first pitcher in major league history to fan that many batters and fail to make it through the fifth inning.

The Rays went up 3-1 in the sixth on RBI singles by Desmond Jennings and Scott.

Before the game, Tampa Bay put AL Cy Young Award winner David Price on the 15-day disabled list with a left triceps strain and recalled left-hander Alex Torres from Triple-A Durham. The Rays are hopeful that Price, who departed in the third inning of Wednesday night’s game against Boston, will only miss two or three starts.

Doubront was pulled after walking Loney to start the sixth. Clayton Mortensen entered, got an out before issuing a pair of walks to load the bases. Desmond Jennings then singled to put Tampa Bay up 2-1.

Andrew Miller replaced Mortensen and allowed Scott’s run-scoring single that made it 3-1.

Ryan Roberts gave the Rays a 1-0 advantage on his homer in the second.

Cobb retired his first 10 batters, including four on strikeouts, before Shane Victorino doubled down the right field line with one out in the fourth. Victorino scored to tie it at 1 on Ortiz’s two-out single.

Ortiz has 69 RBIs at Tropicana Field, which ranks second behind Manny Ramirez’s 72 for the most by a visiting player.

Game notes

Boston closer Andrew Bailey (right biceps strain) had a 15-pitch simulated game. The right-hander will make a minor league rehab appearance Saturday for Triple-A Pawtucket and could be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Monday. … Red Sox RHP Joel Hanrahan, who had been the closer, had right elbow ligament replacement surgery and had his right flexor tendon repaired by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. …. Rays manager Joe Maddon said a decision has yet to made on who will make Price’s next scheduled start Monday in Toronto. Among the options are right-hander’s Jake Odorizzi and Chris Archer, as well as Torres, who made his major league debut in 2011, when he appeared in four games — all in relief.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Click here for the box score.

Behind 24 saves from goaltender Cedrick Desjardins and three points (1g-2a) from Ondrej Palat, Syracuse claimed a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Falcons will try to extend their postseason run when they play Game 4 in Syracuse this Friday.

The Falcons pressured the Crunch early in the game, but Syracuse thwarted Springfield’s initial attempts. A Nick Holden shot caromed just out of the each of Boone Jenner in the opening minutes, while Ryan Johansen’s slap shot on the power play whistled inches wide of the left post.

Syracuse went ahead when Palat sprung Richard Panik on a breakaway. Panik darted through the slot and guided a low shot under the glove of Falcons goaltender Curtis McElhinney at 15:15, as Syracuse grabbed a 1-0 advantage.

Springfield responded with 11 shots on Desjardins in the second, but could not break through for the equalizer.

McElhinney preserved the one-goal gap with a pair of key saves late in the period. He moved to his right to turn away a J.T. Wyman centering chance, and then paddled aside a Dan Sexton opportunity from the right circle moments later, as Syracuse’s lead stayed at 1-0 after two.

Springfield carried a power play into the third, but Palat registered a backbreaking shorthanded goal off the opening draw, transferring all momentum to the Crunch. Palat corralled a puck at center, skated behind McElhinney’s net, and wrapped it just over the goal line with eight seconds elapsed in the final frame to increase the edge to 2-0.

With the Crunch shorthanded again minutes later, Palat angled his way around a Falcon defenseman to create a two-on-one rush. Palat fed the puck to the left circle for Johnson, who banged in a shot by McElhinney at 7:24 to put Syracuse in control, 3-0.

The Crunch limited the Falcons’ opportunities in the third, holding Springfield to seven shots in the stanza to seal the 3-0 victory and series lead.

McElhinney (3-4) stopped 22 of 23 shots. Desjardins (6-0) silenced Springfield for the second time this season. The Crunch also beat the Falcons, 3-0, on Feb. 23 in Syracuse.

Springfield needs to win Game 4 on Friday and Game 5 on Saturday in Syracuse to move the series back home. If the series shifts back to Springfield, the Falcons would host Game 6 on Tuesday, May 21 and Game 7 on Wednesday, May 22. Fans can purchase tickets for the two remaining potential home games of the series now at the MassMutual Center Box Office, or through Ticketmaster.com. 10-Flex Playoff Packs, which allow fans to purchase 10 vouchers that are redeemable at any home game during the postseason, remain on sale by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625). Unused vouchers can be returned to the Falcons’ front office until Jun. 30 for a credit toward any 2013-14 ticket package.

Below is the Falcons’ Eastern Conference Semifinals schedule:

Game 1 – Friday, May 10, MassMutual Center, Syracuse 5, Springfield 2
Game 2 – Saturday, May 11, MassMutual Center, Syracuse 5, Springfield 3
Game 3 – Wednesday, May 15, War Memorial Arena, Syracuse 3, Springfield 0
Game 4 – Friday, May 17, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena
Game 5 – Saturday, May 18, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena (if necessary)
Game 6 – Tuesday, May 21, 7 p.m., MassMutual Center (if necessary)
Game 7 – Wednesday, May 22, 7 p.m., MassMutual Center (if necessary)

Notes:

Two teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series in AHL history. Rochester did it against Cleveland in the 1960 AHL Semifinal, while Adirondack accomplished the feat versus Hershey in the 1989 Southern Division Final…Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliates have won 16-straight games dating back to the end of the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs. Norfolk, the Lightning’s developmental club at the time, won 10-straight en route to securing the Calder Cup championship. Syracuse is perfect in six postseason games this year…Springfield was last shut out in the postseason on Apr. 15, 2003, a 4-0 loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Wednesday’s game marked the third shutout in the Falcons’ postseason history…The Falcons were held without a goal for the third time this season. In addition to being blanked by Syracuse on Feb. 23, the Falcons fell 2-0 to the Providence Bruins on Apr. 13

Price (1-4) departed from the marquee pitching matchup because of left triceps tightness during Boston’s eight-run third inning, which Drew finished with his towering homer off Jamey Wright.

Coming off a one-hit, complete game shutout of Toronto, Lester (6-0) allowed two runs in seven innings to help end the Rays’ season-best six-game winning streak.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, stopped a three-game losing streak that’s been part of a May slide. They are 5-9 this month after going a major league-best 18-8 in April.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON — Patrice Bergeron tied it with 51 seconds left in regulation then scored the game-winner 6:05 into overtime on Monday night to give Boston a 5-4 victory over the Maple Leafs in Game 7 as the Bruins turned back Toronto’s comeback with a rally of their own.

Tuukka Rask stopped 24 shots for Boston, which led the best-of-seven series 3-1 before the Maple Leafs won two in a row to force a seventh game.

Toronto opened a 4-1 lead in the third period of the decisive game, but Boston cut the deficit to two midway through the third period and then scored twice in the final 82 seconds to force overtime.

James Reimer made 30 saves for the Maple Leafs. Cody Franson scored twice, and former Bruin Phil Kessel had a goal and an assist for Toronto.

The Bruins will play the winner of Game 7 between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals. They would open at home against the Rangers and on the road vs. Washington.

The win completed a whipsaw of a weekend for Boston, which won Games 3 and 4 in Toronto last week to put the Maple Leafs on the brink of elimination, but failed to clinch at home on Friday and again in Game 6 when the series returned to the Air Canada Centre.

The Bruins found out during the game that their plane had mechanical difficulties, so they returned to their Toronto hotel and flew back to Boston on Monday morning, just hours before the game.

They appeared tired in the early part of the game, spotting Toronto a 4-1 lead on Nazem Kadri‘s goal at 5:29 of the third period.

But Nathan Horton brought Boston within two goals and then Milan Lucic and Bergeron scored 31 seconds apart in the final 1:22 after the Bruins pulled Rask for an extra skater.

Bergeron ended it early in the overtime, sending his teammates pouring over the boards while the crowd fell into a frenzy.

Or, at least, those who stayed: Hundreds if not more had left in the third period, then begged security to get back into the TD Garden after the Bruins rallied.

Bergeron, who had only one goal in the first six games, had two goals and his first assist of the playoffs. Lucic had a goal — his second — and an assist, and Tyler Seguin had an assist for his first point of the postseason.

The Bruins took a 1-0 lead 5:39 into the game when Franson, against the boards in his own zone, flicked the puck back between his legs right to Matt Bartkowski.

But the Maple Leafs defenseman made up for it when he tied the score four minutes later, backhanding a loose puck into the net off a rebound.

Franson gave Toronto the lead at 5:48 of the second when, then Kessel made it 3-1 two minutes into the third when he tapped in a rebound in the crease. The announcement of Kessel’s name brought a chorus of boos from the Boston fans, who feel he never reached his potential after the Bruins picked him fifth overall in the 2006 draft.

But mostly the fans booed their own team before turning around late with chants of “Let’s Go Bruins!” and “U.S.A.!”

Game notes

The only time Toronto won a series it trailed 3-1 was in the 1942 Stanley Cup finals against the Detroit Red Wings. The Maple Leafs actually lost the first three games then. … Boston’s top regular-season goal scorers, Brad Marchand (18 goals), and Seguin (16), had no goals and just two assists before they both assisted on Bergeron’s game-winner. … Rookie Boston defenseman Matt Bartkowski appeared in his second playoff game, replacing Wade Redden. Another Bruins defenseman, Andrew Ference, missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. Ference also missed Game 2 on a one-game suspension for hitting Mikhail Grabovski in the head in Game 1. … Toronto wing James van Riemsdyk was on the Philadelphia team that came back from a 3-0 deficit against Boston in 2010.

Just nine days shy of the fifth anniversary of his no-hitter, the left-hander retired the first 17 batters before Izturis lined a clean double several feet over the outstretched arm of third baseman Will Middlebrooks that landed just inside the foul line. Lester then ended the inning by striking out pinch hitter Adam Lind.

Lester (5-0) allowed just one of the remaining nine batters to hit the ball out of the infield and finished with five strikeouts.

The closest the Blue Jays came to another hit was Brett Lawrie’s low liner starting the sixth that center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury caught easily.

Izturis was the only runner allowed by Lester, who pitched the third shutout and 10th complete game of his career. He was coming off two of the poorer performances of his outstanding season, both losses in which he didn’t get the decision.

Despite Lester’s brilliance, the Red Sox led just 1-0 through six innings. They scored in the second against Ramon Ortiz (0-1) when Daniel Nava walked, took third on a single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and scored when shortstop Izturis fielded Middlebrooks’ grounder but his throw to start a potential inning-ending double play eluded second baseman Mark DeRosa.

The Red Sox finally built a comfortable lead with four runs in the seventh, making it 5-0.

Singles by Ellsbury and Shane Victorino put runners at first and second and they moved up on a wild pitch by Brett Cecil. Dustin Pedroia singled in a run, but the next two batters struck out. Then Saltalamacchia doubled in two runs and Middlebrooks drove in another with his second double of the game.

On May 19, 2008, at Fenway Park, Lester pitched his only no-hitter in a 7-0 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Friday’s outing was the fourth time he allowed just one hit while pitching at least seven innings — and the third time against Toronto.

The other two were over eight innings in a 1-0 win in Boston on April 29, 2008, and seven innings in a 2-0 win at Toronto on April 28, 2010. He also did it against Kansas City in eight innings of a 1-0 win on July 18, 2006.

Boston continued to waste numerous opportunities. It left runners on base in each of the first seven innings after stranding runners in all nine innings of Thursday night’s 5-3 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Game notes

Toronto designated hitter Rajai Davis left the game with a left oblique strain. Lind pinch hit for him in the sixth. … Buchholz (6-0) pitches for Boston against Mark Buehrle (1-2) in the second game of the three-game series Saturday. … Toronto’s six-game winning streak at Fenway ended.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Now they’ll finally need to win a game at home.

Tyler Bozak scored a shorthanded goal, Clarke MacArthur also scored and James Reimer stopped 43 shots to help Toronto beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 in Game 5 on Friday night and stay alive in their first-round playoff series.

Game 6 is Sunday in Toronto, and the Leafs would need a victory to force a decisive seventh game back in Boston on Monday.

The Bruins won Games 3 and 4 in Toronto earlier in the series. Boston has not lost on the Leafs’ home ice in the playoffs since 1959.

“I’m sure that we’ve poked the Bruins,” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. “They’re going to be a very desperate team come Sunday night, and we have to be equally desperate.”

The Bruins actually turned desperate after falling behind 2-0 on Friday. Toronto outshot Boston 19-8 in the first period and the edge was 25-12 in the second before the Bruins outshot the Leafs 32-8 the rest of the way — including 19-4 in the third.

“The third period was more like our team,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “If there’s anything you need to understand from this, it’s that we’ve got to play three periods like we did in the third if we’re going to close this off.”

Zdeno Chara scored for Boston to cut the deficit to it 2-1 with 8:48 left. The Leafs killed off a delay-of-game penalty in the last four minutes and then protected the lead when the Bruins pulled Tuukka Rask for an extra attacker with 1:11 left.

Rask made 31 saves.

“They’ve a good team, they’re a mature team and they’re an experienced team,” Reimer said. “Obviously they wanted to find a way to keep it from going back to Toronto. We were able to squeak it out.”

Only once in their history have the Leafs come back to win a playoff series after falling behind 3-1 — in the 1942 Stanley Cup finals, when Toronto four straight to take the title after losing the first three games against Detroit. The Bruins are 15-2 in playoff series after taking a 3-1 lead, but they blew a 3-0 lead against Philadelphia in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals.

“We came in with the mindset to just get it back to Toronto to give ourselves a chance. We’ve done that,” MacArthur said. “We want to keep going. We’ve worked hard all year and I can see it starting to pay off.”

The Maple Leafs opened a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal in the second period when Tyler Bozak got around Andrew Ference for a breakaway and then went in alone on Rask with 8:33 left. They made it 2-0 on another Bruins mistake, taking advantage of Johnny Boychuk‘s giveaway that led to MacArthur’s goal.

That’s when the Bruins began applying relentless pressure, turning around what had been a 19-8 advantage in shots after one period. Boston outshot Toronto 36-14 the rest of the way, including a backhander from Jaromir Jagr that appeared to barely nick Reimer’s right shoulder before passing over the crossbar with 11.1 seconds left.

“Those are things that happened, but they happened too late,” Julien said.

Game notes

David Krejci had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the series, leading the NHL in playoff scoring entering Game 5. He and Nathan Horton have combined for eight of the team’s 15 goals in the first four games. … The Bruins called up Matt Bartkowski from Providence of the AHL to fill in for Wade Redden, who was out with an undisclosed injury. … F Joffrey Lupul entered the night with 17 goals in 43 playoff games. … Leafs D Mark Fraser missed the game. He had surgery on Thursday to repair broken bones in his face after getting hit with a puck in Game 4.

Lackey’s wild throw to second base on a potential inning-ending double play gave the Twins another chance in the sixth and they responded with four unearned runs, including two on Arcia’s homer, to take a 5-2 lead.

Minnesota wrapped up the four-game series with its third consecutive win while the Red Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games, falling out of first place for the first time this season.

Kevin Correia (4-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings, his second shortest outing in seven starts this season. But relievers Brian Duensing, Jared Burton and Glen Perkins held the Red Sox scoreless the rest of the way. Perkins pitched the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Krejci beat James Reimer with a shot from the faceoff circle after coming down the left wing.

The Bruins are 15-2 when leading a best-of-seven series 3-1. And Toronto is 2-12-1 in its last 15 games in Boston.

The Bruins have not lost a playoff game in Toronto since 1959.

Joffrey Lupul, Cody Franson and Clarke MacArthur scored for Toronto. Patrice Bergeron added a goal for Boston, with captain Zdeno Chara collecting four assists.

Goalies Tuukka Rask and Reimer were both busy in an end-to-end overtime, with Toronto’s Matt Frattin hitting Rask’s goalpost.

Krejci has five goals and five assists in the series, combining with linemates Milan Lucic (0-7) and Nathan Horton (3-3) for eight goals and 15 assists.

The Leafs used their speed to great effect and led 2-0 after the first period, only to see the Bruins fight back to take a 3-2 lead in the second. Toronto stopped the slide with a late goal of its own.

Tied 3-3, it was desperate high-stakes hockey, with players putting their bodies on the line. Toronto defenseman Mark Fraser, who does not wear a visor, took Lucic’s shot in the face with 12 minutes remaining and headed to the dressing room, leaving a pool of blood on the ice.

The overtime was even more tense.

Inside the Air Canada Centre, the chant of “Go Leafs Go” started before the anthems. Outside, blue-and-white fans came out early to party in the adjacent Maple Leaf Square.

Lupul gave them something to cheer about on the Leafs’ first shot. Lupul gave the puck to Phil Kessel who raced around the goal and then fed it back to Lupul. He had enough separation from the Boston defensemen to slap the puck past Rask for his third of the playoffs.

Reimer had stopped Jaromir Jagr with a pad save and then handled the shot from the ensuing rebound seconds earlier.

Krejci had a glorious chance to tie it late in the period but rattled the puck off the post with the goal wide open. That hurt Boston when Franson doubled the lead with a shot from the point that beat Rask, who had Chara in front of him, with 1:28 to go in the period.

There were seemingly ominous signs for Boston, which trailed after 20 minutes for the first time in the series. Chara was on the ice for both goals in the period.

But the Bruins showed their character in the second period, pushing back on the power play just 32 seconds in. An opportunistic Bergeron beat Reimer on a rebound of a screened shot from the point by Chara. It was Bergeron’s first point of the series and first goal in 14 games.

Chara also began to assert himself, laying out Leafs and using his wingspan to defend the puck.

Krejci was credited with Boston’s second goal after a goalmouth scramble that saw Mikhail Grabovski go flying. Chara had helped set the stage with a driving rush.

The Boston power play, which was 1 for 9 coming into the game, paid off again with Krejci one-timing a shot past Reimer after a pass from Horton.

MacArthur, who replaced Ryan Hamilton in the lineup, tied it 44 seconds later with a slap shot from the slot.

Boston finished the period killing off a 5-on-3 disadvantage.

Game notes

Lucic was cut in the face by a shot from Chara as the first period ended. He was hunched over as he skated off before a trainer gave him a towel to stem the flow of blood. … Jaromir Jagr picked up an assist, giving him sole possession of sixth place on the all-time playoff points list (191). … Toronto went 0 for 4 on power plays.

David Ortiz went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts and three groundouts to snap his 27-game hitting streak, dating back to last season.

Ryan Doumit had a two-run homer, Oswald Arcia went 4-for-5 with three singles and a double, and Trevor Plouffe drove in three of the Twins’ season-high runs. Minnesota also had a season-high 19 hits.

Jonny Gomes hit his fourth career grand slam — first with the Red Sox — and drove in five runs as Boston lost for the fifth time in six games.

Ryan Pressly (1-0) pitched four shutout innings of relief for the win.

Boston’s Allen Webster (0-1) allowed eight runs, six hits and walked three while getting only five outs.

Diamond (3-2) gave up a single in each of the first three innings, didn’t allow a runner past first base and retired the last 15 batters he faced. He struck out two and walked none.

David Ortiz went 1- for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 27 games, a run that began before he sustained a season-ending injury in August. He has at least one hit in all 15 games he’s played this season.

Ryan Dempster (2-3) pitched well for Boston and left trailing 2-0 in the top of the eighth after third baseman Pedro Ciriaco made errors on the first two batters, putting runners at first and third. That led to four runs, three of them unearned, as the Twins took a 6-0 lead.

The Red Sox entered the game with the best record in the majors but have scored just 14 runs while losing four of their last six games. They also lost two players after they collided chasing a foul pop by Chris Parmelee in the fifth near the low wall about halfway between home plate and third base.

Third baseman Will Middlebrooks caught it, but catcher David Ross slid into him, forcing his back to hit the wall. Ross left later in the fifth with a left thigh contusion and Middlebrooks was replaced by Ciriaco to start the seventh because of pain in his right side.

Josh Roenicke worked the last two innings, allowing Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s fourth homer in the ninth.

The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a leadoff double by Doumit and an RBI single through a drawn-in infield by Wilkin Ramirez. They made it 2-0 on Doumit’s homer with one out in the seventh. It was upheld on video review after umpires ruled the ball had cleared the home run line at the top of the left field wall before a fan caught it.

It all unraveled for the Red Sox in the top of the eighth with three errors, a walk and three hits.

Ciriaco bobbled leadoff hitter Brian Dozier’s grounder for his first error. The next batter, Jamey Carroll, hit the ball to the left of Ciriaco, who couldn’t come up with it for his second error as Dozier took third.

Craig Breslow then replaced Dempster and failed to retire any of the four batters he faced. Joe Mauer doubled in one run, Josh Willingham walked to load the bases and Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe followed with RBI singles.

Alex Wilson relieved Breslow and Doumit grounded to first baseman Mike Napoli, who threw home for the force out — the first of the inning. Saltalamacchia tried to double-up Doumit, but his throw was low for an error and Napoli’s return throw was too late to get Morneau.

Game notes

With two singles, Morneau has 1,219 career hits, passing Torii Hunter’s 1,218 for eight most in Twins history. … Pedro Hernandez (1-0) pitches for Minnesota against Allen Webster (0-0) on Wednesday night in the third game of the four-game series … The Red Sox placed Joel Hanrahan on the disabled list with a strained right forearm one day after their other closer, Andrew Bailey, went on the list with a strained right biceps. Manager John Farrell said Junichi Tazawa would have filled that role if needed. … Ortiz’s streak is the longest by a Red Sox player since Manny Ramirez had a 27-game streak from July 15 to Aug. 1, 2006.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Adam McQuaid, Rich Peverley, Nathan Horton, Daniel Paille and David Krejci, with an empty-net goal with 1:17 remaining, scored for Boston

The win came before 19,746 fans inside the Air Canada Centre. Outside, a blue-and-white throng watched on a big screen in Maple Leaf Square as playoff hockey returned to Toronto for the first time since 2004.

After being beaten 4-2 in Boston on Saturday night, the Bruins upped their game. The Leafs, meanwhile, made mistakes and were punished, although they tried to close the gap with a busy third period in which they outshot the visitors 18-6. The Leafs finished with a 47-38 edge in shots.

Game 4 is Wednesday in Toronto, with Boston leading 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The dominant line of Milan Lucic, Krejci and Horton finished with two goals and six assists. They have combined for 17 points through the first three postseason games, with five goals and 12 assists.

Jake Gardiner and Phil Kessel replied for Toronto in a physical game.

It was the Leafs’ first home playoff game since May 4, 2004, when Toronto lost 3-2 in overtime to Philadelphia to lose the conference semifinals 4-2. Fans were rewarded for their patience with free scarves Monday night — but not with a win.

The last home playoff win came in that same series, a 3-1 victory on April 30, 2004.

For the Bruins, the playoffs are business as usual. Boston, which won the Cup two years ago, is in the postseason for the sixth straight year.

Inside the arena, chants of “Go Leafs Go” started before warm-ups. Even the national anthem singer got an ovation, with the crowd belting out “O Canada” with him.

The crowd showed Kessel some love, chanting “Thank You Kessel.” That was unlike in Boston, where fans used the chant to taunt the former Bruin.

Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference returned from his one-game suspension. Rookie Dougie Hamilton, who replaced Ference on Saturday, dropped out of the lineup.

While Holland (2-2) had a season-high nine strikeouts and stymied the Boston bats (six singles), the Rangers had a season-high 18 hits. Red Sox starter Felix Doubront (3-1) allowed a career-worst 12 hits in only 3 2/3 innings.

Nine of Texas’ hits off Doubront came with two outs, including Beltre’s bases-clearing double to left-center in the fourth that made it 5-0 and chased the left-hander.

Beltre broke out of an extended slump, hitting only .129 (4 for 31) in his previous eight games and 2 for 20 the last five. While his home run the previous night produced the only run in the Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Beltre grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the sixth, and struck out with two runners on two innings later.

Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland both had three hits for the AL West-leading Rangers, who were coming off their first series loss of the season and had lost four of their past five games. The entire team had only three hits against the White Sox on Thursday.

Holland is 5-1 with a 2.41 ERA in his six career starts against the Red Sox. The lone loss came as a rookie at Fenway Park in June 2009, his third career start.

After Holland threw 112 pitches, Derek Lowe worked a perfect ninth to wrap up the Rangers’ fifth shutout this season.

Boston (20-9) still has the best record in the majors, but was shut out for the third time this season.

Mike Napoli, with a majors-best 22 extra-base hits and 31 RBIs in his first month with the Red Sox, was 0 for 4 in his first game back at Rangers Ballpark.

Napoli, who hit 54 home runs the last two seasons for the Rangers and made his only World Series appearance with them two years ago, was greeted with the old chants of “Nap-o-li!, Nap-oli!” when he batted for the first time. But the fans were cheering when the Red Sox first baseman then struck out.

That was a much different reaction than five-time All-Star slugger Josh Hamilton got in his return with the Los Angeles Angels last month, when the 2010 AL MVP was booed throughout that weekend series.

Texas went ahead to stay when Jeff Baker had a two-out double in the second and scored on Craig Gentry’s infield single. The Rangers had three singles in the third without scoring before their five-run outburst in the fourth.

Moreland had a one-out single in the fourth before Gentry struck out. Then Kinsler and Elvis Andrus had consecutive singles, the second pushing home a run to make it 2-0. Lance Berkman walked to load the bases, and everybody was running on a full-count pitch when Beltre doubled to left-center. Nelson Cruz then had an RBI single.

An inning later, Moreland had another one-out single and scored on Kinsler’s seventh double in his nine-game hitting streak.

David Ortiz beat out an infield single leading off the second, extending his season-opening hitting streak to 11 games since coming off the disabled list. Ortiz has an overall hitting streak of 23 games dating to last season, the longest active streak in the majors.

Game notes

Doubront has a career ERA of 12.60 in his four career appearances at Rangers Ballpark. … After Beltre’s single to right in the first, Andrus was tagged out when he went too wide around second base and couldn’t get back in time, ending the inning. … Boston is 8-2 in series openers this season.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Iman Shumpert scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, when the Celtics cut a 75-49 deficit to four points. But Anthony made a jumper to give New York an 81-75 lead and followed with a 3-pointer, then J.R. Smith converted a three-point play to restore the double-digit lead the Knicks had nursed most of the game.

The Knicks will open the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers in New York on Sunday.

Jeff Green scored 21 points for the Celtics, who had rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the series and had a chance, at home, to force a decisive seventh game.

No NBA team has advanced in the playoffs after losing the first three games.

Paul Pierce scored 14 points on 4-for-18 shooting, making one of nine 3-point attempts. Anthony also struggled from in- and outside the arc, going 7 for 23 from the floor and missing his first five 3-point attempts — that was 19 in a row in the series — before sinking the key basket with 1:43 to go.

The Knicks had not won a playoff series since Patrick Ewing and Latrell Sprewell (and current backup center Marcus Camby) helped them reach the 2000 Eastern Conference finals.

Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who now face another offseason of talk whether to break up the aging core that won the franchise’s record 17th NBA title in 2008 and returned to the finals two years later. Reserve Jason Terry scored 14 points — the only points the Celtics got from their bench.

After winning the first three games of the best-of-seven series, the Knicks lost two straight. A win on Friday would have made the Celtics the fourth NBA team to tie a series after losing the first three games. And it would have given them a chance to be the first in league history to win a series after trailing 3-0.

The Celtics called upon local history to rally them, playing highlights on the scoreboard from the Red Sox comeback against the New York Yankees after a 3-0 deficit in the 2004 AL championship series.

But Boston quickly fell behind 21-5 and trailed by double digits most of the way. The Knicks made it 75-49 with just under 10 minutes left before the Celtics scored the next 20 points, holding New York scoreless for 4:43 before Pierce threw the ball away and Shumpert took it in for an easy layup that made it 77-69 with 5 minutes left.

Avery Bradley made a layup, then Green hit a pair of free throws to make it a four-point game. It was 79-75 when Anthony made a 13-footer and then followed Pierce’s missed 3-pointer with a 3 from the top of the key. He then stripped Pierce going to the basket, and Smith converted a three-point play at the other end — Green fouled out on the play — to make it 87-75.

Game notes

Lines of fans were still waiting to get through the increased security at 7:20, about 10 minutes after the game started. … Garnett’s six points in the first quarter were twice as much as the rest of Boston’s players combined as the Knicks took a 24-10 lead into the second quarter. … The Celtics were 4 for 16 from the floor in the first and missed all six of their 3-point attempts. The Knicks also outrebounded Boston 13-7 in the period. … Boston shot 23.5 percent in the first half. … The Knicks made 5 of 6 3-pointers in the third quarter.

Dempster (2-2) allowed one run and four hits in six innings. The right-hander, who walked three and struck out four, retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced.

Winless in his first four starts this season, Dempster posted his first victory by beating Houston a week ago.

Andrew Miller got two outs in seventh and Junichi Tazawa got the third. Koji Uehara pitched the eighth and Joel Hanrahan finished for his fourth save in five chances.

Boston improved its major league-best road record to 9-3 and won its seventh series in nine tries this season.

The Red Sox have won eight of 10 and are 20-8 overall, their best start since opening 20-7 in 2002.

Brett Lawrie homered and Colby Rasmus had three hits but the last-place Blue Jays lost for the 12th time in 16 games. Toronto dropped to 4-12 against AL East opponents.

Lawrie connected leading off the bottom of the first, his third homer of the season and the third leadoff shot of his career.

Boston took the lead with a two-run second. Mike Napoli doubled and scored on Mike Carp’s single to right, and Stephen Drew drove in Will Middlebrooks with a sacrifice fly.

Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ allowed two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest start of the season. Happ (2-2) matched a career high with seven walks and struck out two.

David Ross drew a leadoff walk from reliever Brad Lincoln in the sixth and moved to second on a wild pitch. Steve Delabar replaced Lincoln but allowed an RBI single to Jacoby Ellsbury.

Toronto loaded the bases in the seventh but Tazawa struck out Adam Lind to end the threat.

Game notes

The roof at Rogers Centre was open for the first time this season. … Rasmus’ first hit was the 500th of his career. … Red Sox DH David Ortiz got the day off. … Toronto placed RHP Josh Johnson (right triceps) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 29, and recalled Lincoln from Triple-A Buffalo. LHP Ricky Romero is expected to be recalled from Class-A Dunedin to start against Seattle on Friday. … Red Sox OF Shane Victorino (back) felt fine after taking batting practice and was available to pinch hit. Red Sox manager John Farrell said Victorino could return to the starting lineup for Friday’s game at Texas. … Boston LHP Franklin Morales (back) played catch on flat ground for the second straight day Thursday and is expected to throw a bullpen session in Texas this weekend. Morales went on the DL March 31.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

The Celtics are two victories from NBA history, and from extending the Knicks’ postseason futility in a most improbable manner.

Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 18 rebounds and the Celtics stayed alive in the playoffs, cutting New York’s lead to 3-2 with a 92-86 victory on Wednesday night.

The Celtics will host Game 6 on Friday night, needing two victories to become the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series.

“We’re still down. Our mentality has to be all-out,” Garnett said. “It can’t be anything (else).”

Brandon Bass added 17 points, steadying Boston as it shook off an 11-0 deficit and pulled away in the second half to stop the Knicks again from achieving their first playoff series victory since 2000.

“We didn’t panic and that’s something we’ve done, but we didn’t,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought once the game got back to that five, six area, our guys were good again.”

J.R. Smith, back from his one-game suspension for elbowing Jason Terry with the Knicks way ahead late in Game 3, missed his first 10 shots and finished 3 of 14 for 14 points.

Terry also scored 17 off the bench.

Jeff Green scored 18 points and Paul Pierce had 16 as he and Garnett, the two franchise stalwarts, extended this season — and perhaps their Celtics careers — at least one more game.

“Obviously being down 2-0 or 3-0 or whatever it was, we could have folded shop. Nobody in here is going to quit,” Terry said.

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points but was just 8 of 24 in another dismal shooting night for the Knicks, who blew a big lead in this game and now the series. They face an unwanted trip back to Boston instead of the rest this aging roster surely could use before the second round.

If they get there.

“I think we’re fine,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. “Sure, we would’ve loved to close it out and move on, but nobody said it would be easy.”

“I told you from Game 1 that this wasn’t going to be a breeze. It wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. Them guys were going to fight and they’re showing some fight right now,” Anthony said. “They threw a couple punches at us now and it’s time for us to do the same.”

The Celtics were the first of the eight NBA teams that have come from 3-1 down, beating Philadelphia in 1968, and put themselves on the short list of teams that have erased a 2-0 deficit the next year in the NBA Finals.

So, perhaps, it would be fitting if they were the first to overcome 3-0.

“I think so. I mean, I think that would be wonderful, and someone’s going to do it and I want it to be us, obviously, since that’s the situation we’re in,” Rivers said before the game. “Someone will do it, and I really want to be a part of that.”

He’s still got a chance.

The Knicks limited the Celtics to 75 points per game while winning the first three, and nearly came back to win Game 4 on Sunday even without Smith. So they felt good even after missing their first chance to wrap it up, when Anthony was 10 of 35 in an overtime loss.

Point guard Raymond Felton said the Knicks still feel in control of the series “for sure.”

“I mean, this is what playoff basketball is about. Yes, we wish we could have swept them. Yes, we wish we could have won that game tonight. Sometimes things don’t happen that way,” he added. “Things aren’t always pretty. Things aren’t always the way you want them to be. We’ve just got to grind it out and go get a win.”

Though few of these players were here for the streak, the Knicks were perhaps a bit overconfident leading into the game for a franchise that before last year had lost an NBA-record eight straight postseason games.

Smith said Tuesday he’d have been playing golf instead of practicing had he played in Game 4, and players wore black to the game Wednesday as if they were heading to the Celtics’ “funeral.”

The Celtics didn’t like it, with reserve Jordan Crawford exchanging words with Anthony and Felton after the final buzzer.

Forget the funeral. The Celtics are still very much alive.

“Well, we was going to a funeral, but it looks like we got buried,” Smith said. “Basketball is a very humbling game.”

Smith finally made a 3-pointer to end his drought, and then another to cut what had been a 15-point Boston lead to 88-83 with 1:05 remaining. But Garnett made a jumper, then knocked down two free throws to clinch it.

The Knicks were just 5 of 22 from 3-point range, which looked worse until Smith hit three late ones.

The Sixth Man of the Year received a loud ovation when he went to check in during the first quarter, but heard a few boos by the third. They likely will be deafening on Friday, the kind usually reserved in Boston for a Lakers player.

By the time Anthony drove right into the middle of the lane for a dunk that made it 11-0, the Celtics already had three turnovers. But Bass made a pair of free throws and then a dunk to settle them down. He added five more points in the period as Boston climbed within 22-20 even though Pierce missed all six shots in a scoreless 12 minutes.

He made a 3-pointer shortly after returning from a break in the second, and another gave the Celtics their first lead at 34-33 with 5:46 remaining in the half. Then Garnett had two baskets in an 8-0 run that gave Boston a 42-37 advantage, and the Celtics walked off at halftime to mostly stunned silence within Madison Square Garden with a 45-39 lead.

The second halves had belonged to the Knicks in the series, but the Celtics remained steady in the third quarter, opening a 69-60 lead on Terry’s 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, and pushed it to 75-60 early in the fourth.

Game notes

Woodson said the team will try to get Amar’e Stoudemire some contact in practice to see if he will be ready to play in the next round. Woodson said Stoudemire, who is recovering from right knee surgery, is “looking pretty good right now.” … Jason Kidd was honored before the game after winning the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award on Tuesday. He is the first player to win it in back-to-back years and joins Grant Hill as the only player to win it multiple times.

They did once the playoffs began.

Nathan Horton scored the go-ahead goal late in the first period, and the postseason-tested Bruins used a revived offense to beat the inexperienced Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 in their series opener Wednesday night.

“There were some signs probably the last four games or so (that) we seemed to be turning the corner,” Coach Julien said. “We were playing better. We weren’t getting rewarded with wins.”

The Bruins had lost seven of their previous nine games, never scoring more than three goals. They played six games in the last nine days of the regular season. Two games in the final week were postponed because of the Boston Marathon bombings and the search for suspects.

So after two days off and a new series starting, Julien believed his players’ minds and bodies were refreshed.

“It’s been draining for players to deal with that stuff,” Julien said. “We’re all sentimental to what happened to this city. It was just a matter of turning the page and getting a fresh start from the regular season.

“I think, mentally, that was a big difference. I think that’s why you saw a big change in our team. We’ve been through this as a group.”

The Bruins still have 17 players who were on the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2011. The Maple Leafs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and have 15 players making their postseason debuts.

“It’s a new experience for a lot of guys,” Toronto forward James van Riemsdyk said. “That’s a telltale sign how different the level is and how things can come back to bite you.”

Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday night in Boston, where the Bruins have won six straight against the Maple Leafs.

The Bruins’ late-season skid dropped them to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

That set up a first-round matchup with fifth-seeded Toronto, the first time the teams have met in the postseason since 1974. The Maple Leafs lost four of their last six regular-season games.

Their shaky play continued Wednesday after van Riemsdyk gave them a 1-0 lead in the first two minutes. They never scored again.

“We just self-destructed,” Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. “We didn’t do a lot of things right. I’ve never seen so many people fall down with nobody around them with situations with our group. Like we said, we know this going to take more than an ordinary effort, and tonight it wasn’t good enough effort.”

Wade Redden also scored in the first period for Boston, and David Krejci and Johnny Boychuk added goals in the second.

“That was a tough one to lose, especially with the start we had,” Toronto’s Nazem Kadri said. “Undisciplined turnovers played a factor, as well. We are just killing ourselves when we do those types of things.”

Toronto took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by van Riemsdyk just 1:54 in. Redden tied it at 16:20. Horton gave the Bruins a 2-1 edge 3:28 later.

Redden, obtained from St. Louis on April 3, took a shot from the top of the right circle. Horton, sidelined the previous five games with an upper body injury, lifted his stick and deflected the puck past goalie James Reimer.

After video review, it was determined that Horton’s stick stayed below the crossbar.

“To get that one was huge going into the second,” Redden said. “We didn’t really let off the gas, I don’t think, a whole lot. We kept going at them and got a few more big ones.”

Van Riemsdyk had opened the scoring after Cody Franson fed a pass to him from behind the goal line.

Redden tied it with a slap shot from the top of the left circle that went between Reimer’s left arm and left pad.

After Horton gave the Bruins the lead, Toronto had a good chance to tie it, but Tyler Bozak, who missed the previous two games with an upper body injury, was stopped on a breakaway by goalie Tuukka Rask at 8:40 of the second period.

Krejci extended the lead at 10:25 when he gathered a loose puck in the crease, spun around and put a 15-foot shot past Reimer.

The Bruins made it 4-1 just over three minutes later on a shot from the right point by Boychuk over Reimer’s left arm.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, watching from about 20 rows behind the team benches, waved a towel in celebration of the Bruins most productive offensive performance in 10 games.

“You just try to be consistent in what you’re doing, and some days it goes in more than others,” Boston’s Andrew Ference said, “I think the generation of chances is always (something) you try to be constant in.”

Boston nearly had two more goals, but video review showed that Tyler Seguin‘s shot early in the second period hit the crossbar, and that Patrice Bergeron jammed the puck into the net midway through the third after it had been covered by Reimer.

Game notes

The Bruins are 21-4-3 against the Maple Leafs in their last 28 meetings. … C Rich Peverly was a healthy scratch for the Bruins after playing 47 of their 48 regular-season games. … Former Bruins forward Phil Kessel is scoreless in five games against Boston this season. He led Toronto with 20 goals and 52 points.

Buchholz pitched seven shutout innings to earn his major league-leading sixth win, Mike Napoli hit two of Boston’s five home runs and the Red Sox routed the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 on Wednesday night.

“An outstanding night tonight again from Clay,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “He was in command and control the entire seven innings.”

Stephen Drew hit a two-run shot in the second inning and Napoli went back-to-back with Daniel Nava in the fourth as the Red Sox won their majors-best 19th game and improved to 8-3 away from home, the best road record in the big leagues.

The Red Sox have hit 16 home runs in five games at Rogers Centre this season. That’s one more than they’ve hit in their other 22 games combined.

“When the roof is closed and it’s warm in here, the ball definitely flies,” Farrell said. “We’ve got guys that obviously can hit some good fly balls that carry here. This is a very good hitter’s ballpark and we were able to put some good swings on pitches.”

Napoli hit a solo shot into the second deck in center in the fourth and followed up with a three-run shot into the third deck in the seventh. Napoli, who also doubled in the ninth, has six home runs this season and leads the majors with 21 extra-base hits.

“Impressive, to say the least,” Farrell said.

Buchholz (6-0) allowed two hits, walked three and struck out eight, improving to 7-0 in his past eight starts at Toronto. The right-hander lowered his ERA to an AL-best 1.01. Only St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jake Westbrook (0.98) is better.

“Overall I felt really good with everything today,” Buchholz said.

Buchholz is off to the best beginning to a season by a Red Sox pitcher since Josh Beckett opened 7-0 in his first seven starts of 2007. He said his curveball was the best it’s been all season.

“Today it definitely had a little bit more bite to it, it was a little bit more sharp,” Buchholz said.

Boston catcher David Ross, however, thought the two-seam fastball was Buchholz’s best pitch.

“A lot of those guys knew what was coming and still couldn’t hit it,” Ross said. “As far as how he can execute four to five pitches on both sides of the plate, there’s not many other guys like that in the big leagues. That’s why he’s doing what he’s doing.”

Alex Wilson got two outs in the eighth and Clayton Mortensen worked the final 1 1/3 innings for Boston.

The Blue Jays didn’t get a runner past first base until Adam Lind walked and went to third on Melky Cabrera’s single in the seventh. But Cabrera was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double before J.P. Arencibia struck out to end the inning.

“Buchholz just never gave us anything,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons lamented.

After rallying to beat the Red Sox 9-7 in Tuesday’s series opener, the last-place Blue Jays couldn’t maintain any momentum, losing for the seventh time in nine games. Toronto has won consecutive games just once this season, April 12 and 13 at Kansas City.

Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle (1-2) surrendered three home runs for the second straight start and has allowed nine home runs in six starts this season. Buehrle gave up five runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked a season-high three and struck out one.

Three of Boston’s first five outs were fly balls to the warning track. After Middlebrooks was hit by a pitch in the second, Drew made sure he cleared the wall by homering into the second deck in right, his first.

Napoli led off the fourth with a drive to center, his fifth, and Nava followed with a shot to left, his fifth. It was the fourth time this season the Red Sox have hit consecutive homers, and the second time they’ve done it against Toronto.

Boston chased Buehrle and broke the game open with a four-run seventh, doing all its damage with two outs. Esmil Rogers came on after a two-out walk to Jonny Gomes, who went to third on Dustin Pedroia’s single and scored on a wild pitch. Ortiz was intentionally walked before Napoli clubbed his second home run of the night. For Napoli, it was the 11th multihomer game of his career and his first this season.

“The game was still manageable going into the seventh inning there and then it exploded on us,” Gibbons said.

Ortiz went 1 for 3 and has hit safely in all 10 games since coming off the disabled list.

“David’s presence can’t be understated in any way,” Farrell said.

Pinch hitting for Ortiz, Mike Carp hit a solo drive off Justin Germano in the ninth, his second. Napoli followed with a double and scored on Nava’s single to center.

Brett Lawrie drove in Toronto’s only run with an RBI triple off Wilson in the eighth.

Game notes

Blue Jays RHP R.A. Dickey has been diagnosed with mild inflammation in his neck and back following an MRI, and will get an extra day of rest before his next start, Saturday against Seattle. RHP Josh Johnson, who was scratched from his start last Friday with tightness in his right triceps, will return to the rotation Friday. … Boston OF Shane Victorino (back) swung the bat for a second straight day and remains on track to take full batting practice Thursday. Victorino, who has not played since Apr. 24, hopes to return for Friday’s game at Texas. Victorino has missed six straight games.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press