BOSTON -- Rick Porcello gave the Boston Red Sox exactly what they needed.

The right-hander, ending a terrible run by his team's pitching staff, allowed a run on two hits over seven innings, and left fielder Hanley Ramirez tied a club record with his 10th home run before May 1, leading Boston to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

Porcello, who signed a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension with his new team before the start of the season, committed a fielding blunder to help the Jays to their run in the second inning. However, he ended that inning with a double play -- after a big fielding play by center fielder Mookie Betts cut a runner down at third -- and was then perfect through the sixth.

Porcello (2-2) stranded two runners in the seventh, then gave way to right-hander Junichi Tazawa, who worked the eighth. Closer Koji Uehara struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save.

Porcello walked two, hit a batter and struck out six to help the Red Sox win the series, 2-1. His effort came after Boston (12-10) surrendered 34 runs over the previous three games.

Ramirez capped a three-run third with his second homer in as many nights, tying David Ortiz's 2006 record for home runs before May 1. Ortiz went on to hit a club-record 54 that year.

The three-run inning helped make a loser out of Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey (0-3).

In addition to two big fielding plays, Betts singled home a run in the seventh and almost had a second RBI. Catcher Josh Thole appeared to blocked the path of Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts to the plate before receiving the throw from right fielder Michael Saunders and tagging out Bogaerts. After a lengthy review, the call was confirmed.

Ortiz went 2-for-4 for the Red Sox, the first three at-bats against Dickey. He is now 8-for-21 (.381) lifetime against knuckleballer.

In the second inning, Betts threw out Saunders at third base as the first run of the game scored.

Then with one out in the third, Betts went back and made a leaping catch on second baseman Devon Travis' drive, tumbling into the center field wall and holding on to what likely would have been a triple.

Porcello's failure to touch first base cost him an error and helped the Jays (10-12) to a 1-0 lead in the second, but the Red Sox scored three runs off Dickey in the third.

Catcher Ryan Hanigan led the inning off with a single and, after an out, took second on a single by second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Ortiz dropped a single into right field and Saunders' throw to the plate was fired into the ground, which worked out in Toronto's favor when it barely missed Ortiz and went to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who nailed Pedroia at third.

Ramirez then came through with his fifth homer in six games.

NOTES: Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli returned to the lineup after missing two games because of illness. He went 0-for-3. ... Toronto CF Kevin Pillar, fresh off a three-hit night that followed a two-hit game in the series opener and raised his average to .275, moved from eighth to fifth in the lineup and went 1-for-4. ... Boston designated RHP Anthony Varvaro for assignment and optioned OF Jackie Bradley Jr. to Triple-A. LHP Tommy Layne and RHP Dalier Hinojosa were recalled. ... The Blue Jays open a four-game series in Cleveland on Thursday night, with Toronto LHP Daniel Norris (1-1) facing Indians LHP TJ House (0-3). ... The Red Sox are off Thursday before hosting the New York Yankees for three games starting Friday.