BOSTON—The Blue Jays, needing a win on Sunday, handed the ball to a relaxed Aaron Sanchez at Fenway Park to face the Red Sox. The Jays had lost the first two games of the series and a third loss might have spiralled them into a marathon of hopelessness on the eve of the famous Boston race.

Sanchez was also handed a two-run lead before he even toed the rubber in the first inning, on a Jose Bautista home run and a Chris Colabello RBI single. The 23-year-old right-hander, the last man named to the five-man rotation this spring, pitched more like an ace, holding the Red Sox hitless through 4 2/3 innings on the way to a 5-3 victory. Sanchez allowed just one run in seven innings of work. Closer Roberto Osuna surrendered a two-run homer in the ninth.

“It’s nice to go out there with two runs on the board, not really feeling like I have to be too fine,” Sanchez said. “Just kind of fill up the strike zone and work on the things I need to work on.”

Four years ago, back in the summer of 2012, the Blue Jays sent special assistant Pat Hentgen down to Class-A Lansing to have a first-hand look at a talented trio of young pitchers — Noah Syndergaard, Sanchez and Justin Nicolino. The former Cy Young winner came back quietly raving about having witnessed the second coming of Roy Halladay and Chris Carpenter. He called Syndergaard and Sanchez the future Nos. 1 and 1A of the Jays’ staff.

Hentgen was proven correct on his Syndergaard scouting report last year, although he was now with the Mets. This year, Jays pitching coach Pete Walker believes it may be Sanchez’s turn to elbow his way into the conversation regarding the game’s elite young pitchers. Sanchez’s swing-and-miss domination of the Red Sox over seven innings did nothing to dampen that enthusiasm.

“At that time (in 2012), I think Noah maybe repeated his delivery better, had a little bit better command of his breaking stuff, his off-speed stuff, so maybe he was a little further along, development-wise,” Walker said. “But Aaron is right there as far as stuff and athletic ability. It’s phenomenal. So, very comparable. Aaron’s made the argument it’s a quick rise to the top as well. He’s turned himself into one of the better pitchers in the game, I think. It’s happening very quick. It stems from him getting the opportunity to pitch out of the bullpen — develop, get that confidence and composure where it needs to be — and now I feel he can handle any situation out here.”

Sanchez, in his third start of the season, did not allow a hit until second baseman Marco Hernandez, in his first major-league game, shattered his bat and looped an opposite field single that settled gently in front of Michael Saunders with two out in the fifth. The rookie stole second and went to third on an overthrow, scoring on a Mookie Betts groundball single to centre. Those were the only two hits allowed by Sanchez, as he picked up his first win. He was asked if he had even thought about a no-hitter as the cheap hit fell to earth in short left field.

“It was definitely too early,” Sanchez shrugged. “There’s a lot of times you can get through five innings like that, but the best part about that, obviously, is the broken bat hit and then the run and that’s it. That’s a huge stepping stone for our team, trying to get us back into the dugout (with the lead) and continue the momentum not allowing it too much on their side.”

Sanchez was in command the remainder of the game. The former first-round draft pick by the Jays in 2010 has logged 20 innings in his three starts this year, topping 90 pitches each time. He threw 105 pitches Saturday, within three of his single-game high. Walker views the muscle that he added in the off-season working out with Marcus Stroman as a difference-maker.

“I’ve said it since Day 1, when I watched him throw his sides in spring training, he just appeared more like a man,” Walker said. “I think when it comes to repeating his delivery in the past, being a little bit lighter and appearing more arms and legs in his delivery, (it was) just hard to repeat. It seems like his frame has filled out a little bit. He’s finishing his pitches. It’s definitely a more repeatable delivery right now. His body has gotten stronger and, physically, I think it’s made a big difference in his delivery.”

Much has been made about the special relationship, the mutual admiration society between Sanchez and Stroman. They went to Duke during the off-season and worked out together and Stroman has been Sanchez’s biggest cheerleader when it comes to winning a spot in the rotation. But Walker sees more differences than similarities between the two men that may anchor the Jays staff for years.

“I see a big difference,” Walker said. “Their personalities to me are different, even though they get along great. Aaron’s quieter, not as emotional on the field. He’s a little more unassuming. He’s certainly a student of the game as well. They’re both students of the game, but they just go about their business a little different. Whereas Stro enjoys the adrenaline and the emotion of the game and isn’t afraid to express it, Aaron is just a little more composed, not in a good or bad way, but more composed and more low key. That’s how he pitches. He’s very under control, a little more methodical. And even with their differences, they certainly both have one thing in common and that’s the sinker.”

Fenway and the Red Sox was a big stage and a hot spotlight and Sanchez handled it effortlessly.

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