Red Sox rally late for key win over Jays

BOSTON >> Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox rallied late for the second straight game, beating Toronto 5-4 on Monday night in the opener of an important series for the Blue Jays.

Boston star Rafael Devers added a solo homer on the four-year anniversary of his first major-league shot.

Bo Bichette hit a tworun homer for fourth-place Toronto, which fell to 10½ games behind in the East.

Adam Ottavino (3-3) worked a scoreless inning for the win. Matt Barnes got the final three outs for his 22nd save.

Toronto starter Thomas Hatch made just his second big-league start after being sidelined with a shoulder impingement since spring training. The 26-year-old right-hander gave up three runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Trevor Richards (11) took the loss.

BRAVES 2, METS 0 (1ST GAME); METS 1, BRAVES 0 (2ND GAME) >> Jeff McNeil laced his second go-ahead hit in two days when his RBI double in the fifth inning sent New York to a victory over Atlanta and a doubleheader split.

Kyle Muller threw five sharp innings to earn his second big league victory in the opener, a win for the Braves.

The Mets have split nine of their 11 doubleheaders this season and swept the other two.

Trevor May (3-2), the fourth of six Mets pitchers Monday night, threw a perfect fifth and earned the win.

Edwin Diaz struck out the side in a perfect seventh for his 22nd save.

In the first game, the 23-year-old Kyle Muller (2-3) gave up four hits and walked two while striking out three. He allowed the Mets to advance just two runners as far as second base.

PHILLIES 6, NATIONALS 5 Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Philadelphia a victory over sinking Washington.

Rhys Hoskins also had a three-run homer for the second-place Phillies, who are 3 ½ games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. ROYALS 4, WHITE SOX 3 >> Jorge Soler hit two home runs for the second straight game and Kansas City extended their winning streak to six games with a win over Chicago.

Mike Minor (8-8) gave the Royals their fifth quality start in the last six games. He allowed two runs on three hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.