March 28, 2024

MLB Capsules

RED SOX 6, INDIANS 3

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jon Lester pitched seven strong innings, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a tiebreaking home run in the fourth and the Boston Red Sox earned their sixth straight win with a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.

The Red Sox return home to play Kansas City on Friday night, their first game at Fenway Park since Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon. David Ortiz is expected back in the lineup for the first time this season after nursing an injured right Achilles.

Lester (3-0) held the Indians to two runs and four hits. Daniel Nava had two RBIs while Saltalamacchia, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Napoli and Mike Carp each drove in a run.

Andrew Bailey pitched the ninth for his second save.

Indians manager Terry Francona, who managed in Boston for eight seasons and led the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007, was swept in the first series against his former team. Cleveland has lost four straight.

Zach McAllister (1-2) allowed three runs in five innings.

BLUE JAYS 3, WHITE SOX 1

TORONTO (AP) — R.A. Dickey threw six shutout innings before leaving with soreness in his neck and back during Toronto’s victory over Chicago.

Dickey (2-2) retired his first 11 batters and allowed two hits, both singles.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner walked one, struck out a season-high seven and lowered his ERA from 5.82 to 4.30.

Esmil Rogers got four outs and Casey Janssen finished for his fifth save.

Rajai Davis sparked the Blue Jays’ offense with two stolen bases and an RBI double.

Chris Sale (1-2), who gave up a career-high eight runs in his previous start Sunday in Cleveland, was much better in this one. He allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits over seven innings.

Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista missed his fourth straight game with a sore back.

BREWERS 7, GIANTS 2

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yovani Gallardo homered and struck out six in his first start since being arrested on a drunken driving charge, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat San Francisco for a three-game sweep.

Gallardo (1-1) was arrested early Tuesday morning.

The right-hander allowed five hits, one walk and one earned run in six innings.

Milwaukee won its season-high fourth in a row after a 1-8 skid.

Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy also homered for Milwaukee, which swept the Giants for the first time since July 18-20, 2008.

San Francisco fell to 0-4 when Matt Cain (0-2) pitches.

CARDINALS 4, PHILLIES 3

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Carlos Beltran hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth, Adam Wainwright pitched seven solid innings and the St. Louis Cardinals held on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies.

Philadelphia put runners at first and third with no outs in the ninth against Edward Mujica, but the fill-in closer retired three straight batters for his first save.

The Phillies lost their fourth in a row.

Wainwright (3-1) gave up three runs and nine hits while striking out four and walking none.

Beltran broke a 3-all tie with one out in the eighth when he hit an opposite-field homer to left off Mike Adams (0-1).

CUBS 6, RANGERS 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Alfonso Soriano hit his first home run of the season, Anthony Rizzo also homered and the Chicago Cubs beat the Texas Rangers at a soggy Wrigley Field.

Despite torrential rains that caused citywide floods, the teams were able to play in an occasional drizzle.

The Cubs and Texas were rained out Wednesday.

Rizzo hit a two-run homer in the third inning and Soriano followed with a shot that gave the Cubs a 5-0 lead against Alexi Ogando (2-1). Soriano’s homer accounted for his first RBI of the season.

Welington Castillo added a career-high four hits as Chicago ended its three-game losing streak.

Carlos Villanueva (1-0) pitched seven innings and gave up two runs and four hits.