Benintendi finally makes an out, but Red Sox roll
RED SOX 7, ROYALS 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rick Porcello matched his victory total from last year, and Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas Razorbacks) had four hits and scored twice as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Sunday.
The Red Sox hit .385, 45 for 111, and had 68 base runners in sweeping the three-game series. Boston has won six in a row and 13 of 16 to own the best record in the majors at 62-29.
“One through nine, they’re all great hitters,” loser Heath Fillmyer (0-1) said after his first big-league start. “That’s probably why they’re in the position they are this year.”
The Red Sox haven’t won 100 games since 1946.
Porcello (11-3), who was 11-17 in 2017, allowed 3 runs on 9 hits before leaving after 111 pitches. He struck out nine, matching his season high, and walked one. Craig Kimbrel got the final two outs for his 27th save in 29 chances.
Benintendi extended his on-base streak to 10 in a row — 6 hits and 4 walks — before striking out in the eighth.
“I thought I was patient up there,” Benintendi said. “I was trying to get pitches I could handle and was able to do that.”
YANKEES 2, BLUE JAYS 1
Brett Gardner hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the 10th inning and New York beat host Toronto 2-1 for its fourth victory in five games. Former Yankees reliever Tyler Clippard hit Greg Bird to begin the 10th, and Tyler Wade came on to pinch run. Austin Romine sacrificed to advance Wade to second, and Gardner followed with a single to left.
ATHLETICS 6, INDIANS 0
Brett Anderson came off the disabled list to pitched effectively into the sixth inning, and Oakland cruised against host Cleveland. Stephen Piscotty hit a two-run home run for Oakland.
RANGERS 3, TIGERS 0
In Detroit, Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched impressively into the sixth inning as Texas blanked Detroit.
ASTROS 2, WHITE SOX 1
Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) pitched seven innings, Jose Altuve hit a home run and Houston completed a four-game sweep at home over Chicago.
TWINS 10, ORIOLES 1
Jake Odorizzi pitched six scoreless innings, and Mitch Garver, Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier homered as Minnesota battered Baltimore at home.
NATIONAL LEAGUE PIRATES 4, PHILLIES 1
Nick Kingham pitched six innings and had two RBI, helping Pittsburgh avoid a three-game sweep at home against Philadelphia.
MARLINS 10, NATIONALS 2
J.T. Realmuto had a career-high 5 hits and drove in 3 runs, Martin Prado got 4 hits, and Miami defeated Washington to snap a 14-game losing streak to the Nationals. BREWERS 10, BRAVES 3 Jesus Aguilar homered twice, Hernan Perez added a three-run shot and Milwaukee beat Atlanta. Aguilar hit a solo drive in the seventh and a three-run shot in the eighth, moving him into a tie with Colorado’s Nolan Arenado for the NL lead with 22 home runs. CUBS 6, REDS 5 (10) David Bote drove in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning, lifting the Chicago to a victory at home over Cincinnati. Javier Baez had two hits and two RBI for Chicago.
GIANTS 13, CARDINALS 8
Pablo Sandoval homered and had five RBI as San Francisco beat up St. Louis. Andrew McCutchen and Alen Hanson each added three hits.
PADRES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 3 (16)
Wil Myers homered for the fourth time in two days, connecting in the 16th inning off host Arizona catcher Jeff Mathis to lift San Diego.
INTERLEAGUE RAYS 9, METS 0
Nathan Eovaldi took a perfect game into the seventh inning, C.J. Cron hit a three-run home run and Tampa Bay routed New York. Eovaldi retired his first 18 batters before Brandon Nimmo lined a clean single to right field leading off the seventh. Nimmo was quickly erased on a double play, and Eovaldi faced the minimum through seven innings.
MARINERS 6, ROCKIES 4
Ryon Healy homered and tied a career high with five RBI, leading host Seattle over Colorado.
ANGELS 4, DODGERS 3
Shohei Ohtani’s pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning sent Andrew Heaney and the Angels to a victory over the Dodgers.