TORONTO (AP) -- Pete Schourek wasn't intimidated about facing the Blue Jays in homer-friendly SkyDome.

Schourek allowed four hits in eight innings and kept Toronto in the park for the first time at home this season as the Boston Red Sox won their sixth straight, 8-1 on Monday night.

Toronto had been averaging seven runs per game at home and homered in a club-record 21 straight games.

"We knew the stats," said Schourek, who allowed only one unearned run. "I was a tad worried, but I have confidence in my ability."

Saberhagen's rehab hits snag

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Red Sox pitcher Bret Saberhagen left his first rehab start after one inning Monday night complaining of a sore back. Saberhagen "I won't be back in five days," said Saberhagen, who spent more time signing autographs for the kids than he did on the mound in Sarasota's 5-1 loss to Clearwater in the Class-A Florida State League. "The best way to describe it, is there's a knot in the back of my shoulder that's causing some inflammation. I've pitched through it the last two years but got to a point this year in spring training where I was able to throw without pain. Now instead of battling through it like in the past, I think I can have a pain-free shoulder, which it wasn't today." Saberhagen allowed three runs and five hits, while striking out two. He threw 16 of 21 pitches for strikes and his fastball topped out at 89 mph. Saberhagen, who won the Cy Young with Kansas City in 1985 and '89, had right shoulder surgery Nov. 7 after posting a 10-6 record with Boston in 1999.

He struck out five and walked two. Rich Garces pitched the ninth inning to complete the six-hitter.

Schourek, who was released by Pittsburgh on April 1 and signed by Boston on April 2, has pitched at least six innings in five of his last seven starts. The Red Sox are paying just $200,000 of his $2 million contract.

"I was shocked to read in the paper that (Pittsburgh GM) Cam Bonifay was given the go ahead to eat my salary," Schourek said. "The Pirates did me a favor. ... I got on a better team."

The first-place Red Sox moved a game ahead of the idle New York Yankees in the AL East.

The Blue Jays scored their lone run in the third inning on third baseman Wilton Veras' throwing error.

"You probably don't call home and say, 'Mom, I'm facing Pete Schourek tonight,' " Toronto's Carlos Delgado said. "Names and stats don't do it. You have to do it on the field."

The Red Sox scored three runs in the fifth off Frank Castillo (1-3) on Donnie Sadler's run-scoring infield single, Darrin Lewis' RBI single and Trot Nixon's run-scoring groundout.

Boston made it 5-1 in the seventh on Lewis' RBI single and Mike Stanley's sacrifice fly.

Trot Nixon's two-run double, and Brian Daubach's RBI single made it 8-1 in the ninth.

Castillo allowed three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

"I felt like I threw pretty well, but they were able to find the holes," Castillo said.

Game notes
Shortstop Sadler robbed Shannon Stewart of a hit in the third inning when he barehanded a ground ball in shallow left field and threw to second for a force out. ... Attendance was 16,124. ... The Red Sox were without SS Nomar Garciaparra (on the 15-day DL with a strained left hamstring), 3B John Valentin (tendinitis in his left knee) and OF Carl Everett (day-to-day with a pulled right quadriceps.) ... The Red Sox have won 10 of their last 11.