Bogaerts keeps Boston streaking
BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts kept up his powerful start that’s helped the Boston Red Sox get off on a fast run.
On Saturday, a few more bats in the lineup joined in, too. Bogaerts hit the first grand slam by a Boston player since the end of the 2016 season and drove in a career-best six runs to carry the Red Sox to a 10-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays for their seventh straight victory.
“He’s been an unbelievable hitter every year,” winning pitcher Rick Porcello said. “Now he’s doing it with power. He’s a big threat at the plate. He always had that ability.”
In addition to his slam, Bogaerts drove in two runs with his seventh double in eight games.
J.D. Martinez hit his first home run since signing a $110 million, five-year contract during spring training as a free agent. Rafael Devers also connected.
This is just the second time in franchise history that the Red Sox have lost their season opener and won the next seven. The other came in 1904 when Boston captured the AL pennant.
PHILLIES 20, MARLINS 1: Maikel Franco and Aaron Altherr each hit a grand slam and Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro also went deep as host Philadelphia routed Miami.
Vince Velasquez (1-1) allowed one run and four hits, striking out six in six innings.
ASTROS 1, PADRES 0: Fourtime Gold Glove first baseman Eric Hosmer overran a towering popup with two outs in the 10th inning, allowing the ball to fall without being touched and giving Houston a bizarre walkoff win over San Diego.
ROYALS 1, INDIANS 0: Lucas Duda homered off Trevor Bauer for the game’s only run and Ian Kennedy pitched six shutout innings, leading Kansas City to a win in frigid, football-like weather conditions in Cleveland.
CARDINALS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3: In the coldest home start in Cardinals history, Jose Martinez homered and drove in four runs as host St. Louis stopped Arizona’s four-game winning streak.
CUBS 5, BREWERS 2: Ian Happ hit a tiebreaking two-run single during Chicago’s four-run ninth, helping Chicago beat host Milwaukee.
MARINERS 11, TWINS 4: Playing in a Twins-record low of 27 degrees, the Mariners got homers from Kyle Seager and Guillermo Heredia in a runaway victory in Minneapolis.
TIGERS 6, WHITE SOX 1:Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs and Michael Fulmer pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning, leading Detroit to a chilly road win. Cabrera hit a two-run single in the third and an RBI groundout in the fifth after leaving Thursday’s game because of left hip flexor tightness.
GIANTS 7, DODGERS 5: Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer to cap a 12-pitch at-bat in the 14th inning, giving him a career-high six hits and San Francisco a home victory over Los Angeles. —Associated Press