Boston Red Sox's J.D. Martinez reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Thursday, April 26, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Boston Red Sox's J.D. Martinez reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Thursday, April 26, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) Credit: ap/Canadian Press — Nathan Denette

Toronto — J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer, Chris Sale won for the first time in three starts and the Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-4, on Thursday night.

Andrew Benitendi had two hits and an RBI for the Red Sox, who returned home after a 6-3 trip. The Red Sox are a major league-best 19-5, including 7-1 in one-run games.

Justin Smoak and Devon Travis hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays, who have lost five of seven.

Red Sox infielder Brock Holt was replaced after injuring his left hamstring while running during a third-inning double. Holt slowed between first and second and reached for the back of his leg. Holt has four doubles in four games and is hitting 16 for 34 (.471) during a nine-game hitting streak.

Sale (2-1) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings to improve to 5-1 in eight games at Toronto, where his ERA rose from 0.96 to 1.36. He struck out 35 over 22 scoreless innings at Rogers Centre last year.

Carson Smith got two outs, Matt Barnes worked 1⅓ hitless innings and Craig Kimbrel got three straight outs for his seventh save in as many chances, finishing a six-hitter.

Kevin Pillar’s first-inning sacrifice fly ended Sale’s 23-inning scoreless streak and Travis made it 2-0 in the second with his first home run this season.

Benintendi’s RBI double in the third cut the deficit, but Smoak boosted the lead to 3-1 in the bottom half with his first home run since April 1.

Rafael Devers hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Martinez put Boston ahead 5-3 with a two-out drive in the fifth off Marco Estrada (2-2), who allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings. Estrada has given up 14 earned runs in his past three starts, raising his ERA from 2.77 to 6.00.

Kelly’s Appeal Denied: Joe Kelly’s appeal of a six-game suspension was denied by John McHale Jr., a special assistant to baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, and the Boston pitcher started serving the penalty on Thursday night.

“It’s disappointing,” Kelly said. “Suspensions are always not fun. Went in there and went through the appeal process. Obviously it didn’t work out too well.”

Kelly was disciplined for twice throwing at the New York Yankees’ Tyler Austin on April 11. Austin charged the mound and was suspended five games, a penalty cut to four on Thursday by McHale.

Despite the outcome, Kelly said he didn’t regret appealing.

“I always like sticking up for myself,” he said. “It kind of helps me sleep at night going in fighting for what I believe in.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he had expected a reduction in Kelly’s suspension.

Kelly has a 3.09 ERA in 11 games this season. After allowing four runs in one-third of an inning in an opening-day loss to Tampa Bay, the right-hander has not allowed a run in 11 1/3 innings. Boston will have to play with 24 active players during the suspension.

Trainer’s Room: Mookie Betts made his first appearance in center field since 2015. … Manager Alex Cora said SS Xander Bogaerts (left ankle) remains on track to rejoin the Red Sox on Friday. “I talked to him today and he was very upbeat,” Cora said. “Looking forward to having him back at shortstop and the middle of the lineup.”