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TORONTO – Just like he did in the playoffs, Marco Estrada picked up his team in a time of need. No, this wasn’t as crucial as his performances in Game 3 of the ALDS or in Game 5 of the ALCS last October, but the 32-year-old right-hander was there to deliver the Blue Jays their first home win of 2016 and snap a four-game losing skid. Estrada came off the disabled list Sunday to make his season debut and pitched seven shutout innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out eight, in a 3-0 Toronto win  to avoid a sweep at the hands of the division rival Boston Red Sox. "Any time you lose that many games in a row it never feels good. You want to do everything in your power to get the guys back on track. With the defence we had today, the offence, Russell (Martin) calling the game that he did, it all just came together," said Estrada. "I think overall I made really good pitches (and) I just want to keep getting better." The Blue Jays jumped out to an early lead with a two-run first inning and Josh Donaldson socked a solo shot in the eighth, his fourth home run this season, to make it 3-0. Drew Storen pitched a scoreless eighth and Roberto Osuna followed that up with a clean ninth to secure the win, record his third save and redeem the bullpen a bit after they've had a rough go of it over the last four games. There was even a textbook display of fundamentals, as Jose Bautista, Ryan Goins, and Russell Martin pulled off an impressive relay to cut down Dustin Pedroia at the plate in the third inning that would have brought the Red Sox within one. "We executed it perfectly, just like it should be executed. That’s what we do is play great defence," said Goins."I think we can be the best defence in this league." Man this was nice pic.twitter.com/7mhCvVuC3K — Bluebird Banter (@bluebirdbanter) April 10, 2016 A relatively routine game brings to an end a fairly eventful first week, from Bautista’s now infamous slide to a different feeling home opener and an odd start from R.A. Dickey. The Blue Jays are hoping for less of the latter and more of the former in their future.  "There was a couple sloppy game in the last couple games and some games that got away from us. Those (games) take their toll on you. So you got to put a stop to it and it usually starts on the mound," said Gibbons. "It was vintage Estrada, it really was. It’s early in the season, but we needed that game. We needed a game like that (with) crisp, good all-round play." The offence has averaged just over four runs per game over this opening week, which falls below their lofty standards, but that’s with Donaldson and Bautista being the only two of Toronto's hitters to get off to blistering starts. When the rest of the lineup comes around: watch out, American League. Not counting the week of the All-Star break, 24 weeks remain in the regular season. That is to say, there's plenty of baseball left to play. And if the Blue Jays play like they did Sunday on a consistent basis, there are going to be plenty of wins to render this opening 3-4 week a fast fading memory. More MLB coverage from Yahoo Canada Sports: - - - - - - - Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports . Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr Continue to Article

April 10, 2016 5:25:pm EST

TORONTO (AP) -- Marco Estrada pitched seven shutout innings, Josh Donaldson hit a solo home run and the Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-0 on Sunday, avoiding a three-game sweep. Continue to Article

April 10, 2016 3:47:pm EST

TORONTO (AP) -- Right-hander Marco Estrada is coming off the 15-day disabled list to make his season debut against the Boston Red Sox. Continue to Article

April 10, 2016 12:04:pm EST