TORONTO (Interstat) — The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Boston Red Sox 8-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Rogers Centre, an 8-1 decision completed in 2 hours 34 minutes before 41,314 fans.

Toronto improved to 14-16 with the victory, while Boston fell to 12-19.

The Blue Jays broke open a tight contest with a three-run third inning, added two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth, and then padded the margin with a solo home run in the eighth. Boston’s lone run came in the first inning.

Braydon Fisher earned the win in relief, his second decision of the season without a loss. Brayan Bello took the loss for Boston, dropping to 1-4.

Eric Lauer, the top star for Toronto, delivered a strong start. The left-hander worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out one. He issued one walk. Lauer’s recent outings included a loss at Los Angeles Angels on April 22 and a loss at Arizona Diamondbacks on April 17, both starts in which he allowed three earned runs over five innings.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the third inning. Boston led 1-0 after Willson Contreras’s leadoff home run in the top of the first, and the Red Sox had not threatened since. Bello held Toronto scoreless through the first two frames, but the Blue Jays erupted in the third.

Andrés Giménez struck out to open the inning, but Brandon Valenzuela singled to right. Ernie Clement flew out, then Jesús Sánchez singled, moving Valenzuela to second. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled to load the bases. Kazuma Okamoto then laced a sharp line drive to left field, scoring Valenzuela and Sánchez and sending Guerrero to second, giving Toronto a 2-1 lead. Daulton Varsho walked, reloading the bases. Yohendrick Pinango singled to left, driving in Guerrero. Okamoto was thrown out at home on the play, but the damage was done: Toronto led 3-1.

Boston had a chance to answer in the top of the fourth. Wilyer Abreu drew a one-out walk, but Ceddanne Rafaela flied out, Trevor Story lined out and Andruw Monasterio grounded out.

Toronto extended its lead in the bottom of the fourth. After Myles Straw grounded out and Giménez grounded out, Valenzuela drew a walk. Clement then launched a home run to left field, his first of the season, scoring Valenzuela and making it 5-1.

The Blue Jays continued their assault in the fifth. Guerrero led off with a single. Okamoto struck out, but Varsho was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second. George Springer, batting for Pinango, singled to center, scoring Guerrero and pushing Varsho to third. Myles Straw then lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Varsho for a 7-1 lead.

Boston threatened in the top of the fifth. After Connor Wong flied out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled, Caleb Durbin singled and Roman Anthony singled, loading the bases with one out. Contreras, the Red Sox’s top hitter on the day with two hits and the home run, lined into a double play, shortstop Giménez to second baseman Clement, erasing Durbin at second. The inning ended, and Boston could not cut into the deficit.

Toronto relievers kept the Red Sox in check. Spencer Miles tossed two perfect innings, striking out three without allowing a hit. Fisher worked 1 2/3 innings, yielding one hit and no runs while striking out one. Tommy Nance pitched 2/3 of an inning, giving up one hit, and Joe Mantiply faced one batter, allowing two hits but striking out one.

Boston’s bullpen also performed adequately. Jovani Morán threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and one earned run. Garrett Whitlock worked a 1-2-3 eighth except for the solo home run by Valenzuela, his second of the year, which made it 8-1.

The Red Sox put runners on base in the eighth. Contreras singled, Abreu singled and Story walked, loading the bases with one out. Jarren Duran struck out, and Wong grounded out to end the frame.

Boston’s final chance came in the ninth. Marcelo Mayer grounded out, Durbin struck out and Anthony struck out to end the game.

Contreras finished 2-for-4 for Boston with a home run and an RBI. Valenzuela went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI for Toronto. Clement was 1-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.

The game was the third of a three-game series between the teams. Toronto won the series opener Tuesday, 3-0, after Boston had won the Monday nightcap, 5-0. The Blue Jays won two of three in the set.

Boston returns home to face the Houston Astros for three games starting Friday, while Toronto travels to Minnesota to open a four-game series Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Toronto 5, Boston 4. The ELO system gave Toronto a 55.20 percent probability to win. Toronto was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of 9 runs fell under the over-under line of 8.5.