Polanco powers Pirates past Cubs
Cards hit four HRs in win over Reds
CHICAGO — Gregory Polanco and the Pittsburgh Pirates wasted no time in bouncing back from a rout to make an early statement in the National League Central.
Polanco homered twice to help back a third straight solid start by Trevor Williams, and Pittsburgh pulled away from the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Thursday.
Francisco Cervelli lined a three-run shot in the seventh off Cubs reliever Justin Wilson as Pittsburgh scored four times in the inning to break open a tight game.
Adam Frazier also went deep for Pittsburgh, which rebounded from a 13-5 loss on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field to improve to 9-3 on the season.
CARDINALS 13, REDS 4: In Cincinnati, Jose Martinez drove in six runs and Yadier Molina homered in his return from a one-game suspension, powering St. Louis to a victory that left Cincinnati mired in its worst start since 1955.
The Cardinals homered a season-high four times while piling up a season high in runs. The Reds helped by walking 11 batters, three of them with the bases loaded.
The Reds fell to 2-10, the worst record in the majors and their worst start since an identical mark in 1955.
RED SOX 6, YANKEES 3: In Boston, Rick Porcello pitched seven scoreless innings, Mookie Betts drove in two runs and Boston beat New York.
Porcello (3-0) stayed in after a 45-minute rain delay and was working on a no-hitter before Aaron Judge’s leadoff double in the seventh. The 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out six and walked none in his third straight win to begin the year.
ROCKIES 5, NATIONALS 1: In Washington, DJ LeMahieu hit two home runs and drove in a career-high four runs to lead Colorado over Washington.
Chad Bettis (2-0) allowed one run and three hits over seven innings as Colorado took the opener of a four-game series.
INDIANS 9, TIGERS 3: In Cleveland, Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer and drove in three runs, helping Cleveland to its 11th consecutive victory against the Tigers.
The Indians completed a four-game series sweep and improved to 31-10 against their AL Central rival since 2016. Jose Ramirez hit a two-run homer, and Trevor Bauer (1-1) struck out seven while pitching seven innings of two-run ball.
GIANTS 7, PADRES 0: In San Diego, Chris Stratton and reliever Derek Law combined on a one-hitter, and Hunter Pence’s broken-bat, two-run bloop single highlighted a three-run first inning that sent San Francisco to a victory over San Diego.
Stratton (1-1) kept the Padres mostly off the bases through seven innings. He allowed their only hit, a one-out single in the third by pitcher Clayton Richard, who was pinch-hitting for starter Bryan Mitchell.
SUSPENSIONS: Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly and the Yankees’ Tyler Austin have been suspended for their roles in the brawl between the AL East rivals at Fenway Park.
Kelly was suspended for six games and Austin received a five-game penalty. Each player appealed their punishments.
TIGERS: Detroit pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is expected to make his next start after being hit on the jaw by a line drive against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.
Zimmermann said Thursday that the swelling in his jaw had gone down and he didn’t have a headache, and he planned on beginning his usual routine between starts.