Betts hits slam, Red Sox rout Yanks for 9th win in row

BOSTON » Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on a monster night, leading Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox over the New York 14-1 Tuesday for their ninth straight victory.

Betts went 4 for 4, scoring five runs and driving in four. His third career slam capped a nine-run burst in the sixth inning that turned the first matchup of the season between the AL East rivals into a rout.

Sale (1-0) allowed one run in six innings, scattering eight hits. He struck out eight without a walk.

Boston’s starting pitchers improved to 6-0 on the season on a night in which the temperature dipped into the 30s. The Red Sox haven’t lost since opening day.

Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4. He struck out his first two times up against Sale, and has now fanned 22 times in 46 at-bats. RAYS 6, WHITE SOX 5 » Blake Snell pitched one-hit ball and struck out 10 through six innings and Tampa Bay kept the White Sox winless at home, beating Chicago.

The White Sox dropped to 0-5 at Guaranteed Rate Field. That matched Chicago’s fivegame home skid to start 1975 at Comiskey Park. PIRATES 8, CUBS 5 » Ivan Nova pitched seven solid innings, Francisco Cervelli hit a three-run homer and Pittsburgh ruined Chicago’s home opener with a victory.

Not even the presence of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 98-year-old chaplain of the Loyola basketball team, could help the Cubs. She threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field. INDIANS 2, TIGERS 1 » Roberto Perez hit a leadoff home run in the eighth inning against reliever Alex Wilson, lifting Cleveland over Detroit. BLUE JAYS 2, ORIOLES 1 » Aaron Sanchez lost his nohit bid when Baltimore’s Tim Beckham led off the eighth inning with a sharp grounder through the legs of third baseman Josh Donaldson, and Curtis Granderson hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth to carry Toronto over the Orioles.

Cubs place Rizzo on DL

CHICAGO » The Cubs are taking the safe route with Anthony Rizzo, placing the first baseman on the 10-day disabled list with back tightness.

Rizzo hasn’t played since he went 0 for 5 in Thursday’s 8-0 win at Milwaukee.

Molina, Lovullo each suspended 1 game

NEW YORK » St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo both have been suspended one game for their dustup over the weekend.

Molina, who bumped plate umpire Tim Timmons during the bench-clearing dispute, has appealed.