Rizzo, Cubs slug past Red Sox
Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer, and Miguel Montero and Ben Zobrist had solo shots, helping the Chicago Cubs rebound from a series-opening loss with a 7-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Kris Bryant had two hits and scored twice for Chicago, backing a decent start by former Red Sox righty John Lackey.
Lackey (2-3) gave up four runs in six innings, snapping his string of losses in three straight starts. He was part of Boston’s 2013 World Series title team.
Hanley Ramirez and Andrew Benintendi had solo homers for the Red Sox, who have the majors’ fewest homers.
Steven Wright (1-3) gave up five runs and seven hits in 6 innings.
Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his sixth save.
With summer-like temperatures for the second straight day and a marquee matchup with the defending champs, there was added buzz around the ballpark hours before the game.
Mixed in the fans flocking around Fenway Park were numerous Cubs fans wearing jerseys — many with “Sandberg,” “Bryant” or “Rizzo” on the back. There was a loud “Let’s Go Cubbies!” in the ninth.
The Cubs overcame a 4-2 deficit with a run in the sixth inning and three in a seventh that was highlighted by two errors on one play.
Zobrist’s run-scoring grounder sliced it to 4-3. Montero homered leading off the seventh against Wright before Kyle Schwarber’s RBI single pushed them ahead.
Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts threw the ball away for an error on Rizzo’s fielder’s choice, allowing Schwarber to score. First baseman Mitch Moreland retrieved and fired it into left field.
Jackie Bradley Jr.’s RBI single made it 1-0 in the second.
Benintendi had a sacrifice fly and Ramirez belted his homer over the Green Monster seats completely out of Fenway, a shot estimated at 469 feet, in the third.
WHITE SOX 6, TIGERS 4, 10 INNINGS: Melky Cabrera led off the 10th inning with a solo homer off Justin Wilson and Avisail Garcia added an RBI triple, lifting the Chicago White Sox over the Detroit Tigers. Jose Abreu homered twice in his return to the lineup for Chicago. The White Sox held onto a two-run lead in the 10th with David Robinson (1-0) making the most of a chance to pitch a second inning after losing a two-run advantage in the ninth.