Red Sox complete best April with victory over the Royals
BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts hit a grand slam over the Green Monster and the Boston Red Sox finished April with their most wins ever by beating the Kansas City Royals 10-6 on Monday night.
Former Mississippi State player Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer and had three hits along with Bogaerts for the Red Sox, who posted their 19th victory in April. They had reached 18 three times, the last coming in their World Series-winning 2013 season.
Whit Merrifield had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who were coming off their first consecutive wins this season.
Hector Velazquez (4-0), the first of three relievers, worked two scoreless innings of relief for the victory.
Trailing 3-0, Boston scored a run in the second on Moreland's homer and five off Jason Hammel (0-3) in a third inning highlighted by Bogaerts' slam that completely left Fenway Park. Moreland drew a bases-loaded walk for the other run.
It was Boston's sixth slam of the season, tying the then-Montreal Expos from 1996 for most ever in the majors by May 1.
Boston fell in the 3-0 hole in the first when starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up three runs on three walks, two singles and a hit batsman.
CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez's RBI double broke an eighth-inning tie and the Cleveland Indians rallied for a win over the Texas Rangers.
Texas scored twice in the top of the eighth to go ahead 4-3, but the Indians quickly regained the lead by scoring four times against Chris Martin (0-1).
Rajai Davis led off with a single and took second on Bradley Zimmer's one-out single. Davis stole third and scored when Francisco Lindor hit a chopper over Martin's head. Martin recovered after getting a glove on the ball, but his flip to first place was late.
Jason Kipnis flied out. Ramirez, who had an RBI single in the seventh, doubled to right. Martin left with an injury and Yonder Alonzo had a two-run single off Jesse Chavez.
The Indians are without ace reliever Andrew Miller, who is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring and his absence in a tight game was felt again.
Texas scored two runs in the eighth off Tyler Olson. Profar's double tied the game and Mazara's double gave the Rangers a 4-3 lead.
Cody Allen (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings. The right-hander put two runners on with one out in the ninth. Jurickson Profar grounded out, but Nomar Mazara's infield hit cut the deficit to 7-5.
Allen, the Indians' closer, was pulled after throwing 41 pitches. Jeff Beliveau fell behind Joey Gallo 3-0, but came back to strike him out for his first save of the season and second of his career. The left-hander was added to the roster last week when Miller went on the DL.
Trevor Bauer struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings, but gave up Robinson Chirinos' home run on his 122nd and final pitch of the game.
Bauer had the 10th double-figure strikeout game of his career, holding Texas to four hits.
Kipnis' double off Cole Hamels gave Cleveland the lead in the fifth. The hit scored Zimmer on a call that stood after a challenge by Texas manager Jeff Banister.
Hamels allowed two runs — one earned — in five innings. He was pulled after the first two hitters in the sixth reached base.
DETROIT — C.J. Cron and Brad Miller each homered in the ninth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays held on for a victory over the Detroit Tigers.
With the game scoreless, Detroit closer Shane Greene (1-2) walked Denard Span to start the ninth. Cron followed by hitting a 2-0 fastball into the right-center field seats for his seventh homer of the season. After Matt Duffy popped out, Brad Miller homered into the left-field bullpens to make it 3-0 and end Greene's night.
But Detroit loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth on two hit batters and an infield single. Jose Alvarado replaced Chaz Roe and allowed a two-run single to Victor Martinez, then retired James McCann before walking John Hicks to load the bases again. Dixon Machado then grounded into a game-ending force at second to give Alvarado his first career save.
The Rays have won nine of their last 10 games after a 4-13 start.
Rays starter Jake Faria (2-1) had the longest outing of his career, holding the Tigers scoreless for eight innings. He gave up three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in his second win in 11 starts.
Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann didn't get a decision after pitching seven scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out five.
Jose Iglesias helped Zimmermann with two outstanding plays in the third inning. He made a leaping catch of Jesus Sucre's soft liner, then dived to his right to grab Cron's line drive.
Iglesias doubled with one out in the bottom of the inning, but was stranded at third.
The Rays got a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but Zimmerman got Joey Wendle to ground out to Iglesias.