Varitek lifts Red Sox to narrow win over Jays

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox secured their second straight win in their final at-bat when Jason Varitek's ninth-inning single lifted them to a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Varitek's single scored Manny Ramirez who slid in to beat the throw from centerfielder Vernon Wells, who had thrown out Jed Lowrie at the plate on the previous play.

On Tuesday the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 1-0 on Kevin Youkilis's RBI single in the ninth which drove in David Ortiz from second base. Wells failed to handle the hit to center and did not get a throw off.

"It was just like last night," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "They had the last at bat."

The back-to-back wins put the World Series champions top of the AL East, one game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles who lost to Tampa Bay.

Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings but was denied his fifth win without a loss as Jonathan Papelbon (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory.

Boston had just seven hits after winning with a five-hit performance on Tuesday.

"Our pitching has managed to keep us right there and allow one big hit or two to win a game for us," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "It's important to be able to win games like the last two once in a while."

Toronto's offensive woes continued, Alex Rios's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning accounting for the Jays' lone run as they remained last in the division.

Dustin McGowan allowed one run on four hits over 7 2/3 innings. Scott Downs (0-1) allowed the winning run.

(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto, Editing by Ed Osmond)