Stewart Sharp for Blue Jays

Roberto Alomar drove in three runs with a homer and two-run triple and Dave Stewart gave up three hits over seven innings Thursday night as the Toronto Blue Jays inched closer to their third consecutive AL East title with a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

The Blue Jays have won 10 of 11 and hold a 5 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees and six games over the Baltimore Orioles, both of whom were idle. It also reduced the Blue Jays’ magic number to clinch the division to five.

Stewart (11-8), who held the Red Sox hitless until Scott Cooper singled to lead off the fifth, allowed one run, struck out three and walked three for his third consecutive victory.

Nate Minchey (1-1) gave up five runs and five hits--three of them homers--over 6 1/3 innings in his third major league start. He struck out three and walked three.

In the first, Alomar, who has career highs in homers and RBIs this season, hit his 17th homer into the second deck in right for his 86th RBI.

John Olerud homered to center in the second--his first in a month and 24th of the season--for a 2-0 lead. In the third, Rickey Henderson singled with one out, Devon White walked and Alomar lined a triple over right fielder Rob Deer’s outstretched glove for a 4-0 lead.