TORONTO -- Christian Vazquez knew what to look for when the count reached two strikes with no balls in the seventh inning.

"Always with two strikes, they pitch me up and in," the Boston Red Sox catcher said. "I was looking for that."

He hit the pitch from Toronto Blue Jays reliever Danny Barnes to left field for his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot that keyed a four-run inning.

Vazquez tied a season best with four hits as the Red Sox held on to defeat the Blue Jays 6-5 and end a four-game losing streak.

Barnes (2-5) took the loss, and Blue Jays manager John Gibbons acknowledged that his bullpen has been worked hard.

"Sooner or later it catches up with you," Gibbons said. "Barnes, it was coming out good, he just left the ball up and Vazquez hit the home run."

Vazquez said, "We needed that win to break the losing streak. We're back. It's fun to enjoy the game and get a couple of hits and win the game."

Eduardo Nunez also homered for the Red Sox (74-57), and Drew Pomeranz (14-4) gave up seven hits, five walks and three runs in six innings to win his career-best eighth straight decision. He has not lost since June 11.

"That was pretty much a battle, straight from the beginning," Pomeranz said. "I just struggled with my command, pretty much everything for most of the game."

Craig Kimbrel picked up his 30th save of the season despite allowing the 36th homer of the season by Justin Smoak, a two-run blast with two outs in the ninth.

"Big night offensively for Christian," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Particularly after the four games we were coming off, to get back in the win column is big. That might have been the toughest four-game stretch we've had this season. We came out and we put together a good effort tonight."

The Blue Jays (61-70) have dropped eight of their past 10 games.

Toronto starter Marcus Stroman allowed seven hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out four in six innings. He didn't issue a walk.

Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar made a sensational diving catch on the warning track to rob Mookie Betts of extra bases to lead off the sixth in Stroman's final inning. Pillar has become known for his diving catches.

"I told him I think that was the best one I've seen live," Stroman said. "I feel like I'm always on the mound, too. Sinkers up in the zone usually get hit a long way because they usually play shallow when I pitch. The way he goes back on balls is extremely special. He has to get a Gold Glove at some point."

Trailing 3-2, Boston scored four in the seventh.

Barnes replaced Stroman and allowed a leadoff single to Hanley Ramirez and the home run by Vazquez to give the Red Sox a 4-3 lead.

Aaron Loup replaced Barnes after a one-out walk to Nunez and allowed a ground-rule double to Andrew Benintendi. Betts was walked intentionally to load the bases.

Mitch Moreland hit an infield single on a soft grounder to Smoak, who flipped to second too late for the force play as a run scored.

Ryan Tepera replaced Loup and walked Xander Bogaerts to force in a run.

Addison Reed replaced Pomeranz and pitched a perfect seventh, and Brandon Workman pitched a perfect eighth.

NOTES: Toronto designated OF Norichika Aoki for assignment and recalled RHP Leonel Campos from Triple-A Buffalo. Aoki went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs on Sunday in the 7-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins. He batted .281/.294/.594 in 12 games with three homers and eight RBIs after joining Toronto in a trade on July 31 that sent LHP Francisco Liriano to the Houston Astros. ... The Red Sox played the 11th game of a stretch of 20 in 20 days. Their next scheduled day off is Sept. 7. ... LHP Chris Sale (14-6, 2.88 ERA) will start Tuesday for the Red Sox. LHP Brett Anderson (2-2, 8.18) is expected to start for the Blue Jays.