MLB RECAPS

MLB Recaps: Betts blasts Red Sox past Phillies

The Sports Xchange

June 14, 2017 at 11:14 pm.

Jun 14, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) watches his solo home run during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Red Sox defeated the Phillies, 7-3. Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 14, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) watches his solo home run during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Red Sox defeated the Phillies, 7-3. Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA — Mookie Betts went 4-for-5 with two home runs, three RBIs and four runs scored as the Boston Red Sox scored five runs in the first two innings en route to a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

In falling a triple short of the cycle, Betts raised his average to .280 while becoming the first Boston player this season with double-digit home runs (11). Xander Bogaerts had an RBI double in the first inning and a two-run single in the second for the Red Sox.

It’s the eighth win in 11 games for Boston, which defeated Philadelphia for the third straight time to extend the Phillies’ losing streak to eight games.

Red Sox reliever Hector Velasquez (1-1) was stout in relief of Brian Johnson, pitching 3 1/3 innings of scoreless ball to come away with his first career victory. Johnson departed after 2 2/3 innings because of “discomfort” in his throwing shoulder.

Mets 9, Cubs 4

NEW YORK — Curtis Granderson hit his 300th career home run leading off the eighth inning to cap New York’s comeback victory over Chicago.

The Mets had to get creative with bullpen and bench machinations after Matt Harvey lasted only four innings and second baseman Neil Walker suffered a leg injury in the third inning. Pitcher Steven Matz delivered a pinch-hit RBI single during a two-run fourth inning for the Mets, who received five innings of five-hit relief from four pitchers.

Jerry Blevins (4-0) earned the win by striking out three in 1 1/3 perfect innings. Anthony Rizzo and Ian Happ opened the game with homers for the Cubs. It was the second straight leadoff homer for Rizzo, who never batted leadoff before Tuesday.

Rockies 5, Pirates 1

PITTSBURGH — Rookie right-hander German Marquez pitched five effective innings, reliever Jake McGee escaped a late jam and Ian Desmond homered to lead Colorado over Pittsburgh.

Rockies rookie Raimel Tapia, 2-for-19 coming in, started in place of slumping outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and had four hits.

Marquez (5-3) hit Francisco Cervelli with a pitch on the left shoulder in the fifth inning. Cervelli, in his first game after coming off the seven-day concussion disabled list, yelled at Marquez, then complained to the umpire, and within seconds both dugouts and bullpens emptied. Nothing came of it.

Braves 13, Nationals 2

WASHINGTON — Leadoff hitter Ender Inciarte was 3-for-6 with two RBIs, Brandon Phillips was 4-for-6 with three RBIs and Julio Teheran allowed only two runs as Atlanta crushed Washington.

The top three hitters went 10-for-16 for the Braves, who put the game away with six runs in the seventh. Nick Markakis, the No. 3 hitter, added three hits and Matt Adams and Kurt Suzuki added two each for the Braves, who won two of three in the series.

Teheran (6-4) beat first-place Washington for the first time in 10 starts. The right-hander gave up six hits and one walk in seven innings to the top hitting team in the league.

Blue Jays 7, Rays 6

TORONTO — Russell Martin led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a go-ahead home run to lift Toronto past Tampa Bay.

Martin hit his sixth home run of the season against the Rays’ Jose Alvarado (0-1) after Tampa Bay tied the score with three runs in the top of the eighth. Kendrys Morales hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs and starting pitcher Francisco Liriano struck out nine in seven innings for the Blue Jays.

Logan Morrison hit a two-run homer for the Rays against Toronto’s Joe Smith (3-0), who got the win despite coughing up a three-run lead in the eighth. Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth for his 17th save of the season.

Diamondbacks 2, Tigers 1

DETROIT — Brandon Drury’s RBI single, his fifth hit in a string of six at-bats, finished a two-run first inning and Taijuan Walker plus two relievers made it stand up to give Arizona a victory over Detroit.

Walker (5-3) was making his first start since May 19 because of a blister on his pitching hand and lasted five innings, allowing six hits, a run and walk while striking out six. Fernando Rodney earned his 18th save as the Diamondbacks (41-26) equaled their best record after 67 games set in 2002.

Jordan Zimmermann (5-5) gave up two runs on four hits for the Tigers, who have lost six of their last eight games.

Royals 7, Giants 2

SAN FRANCISCO — Kansas City continued its hot hitting out west, banging out 16 more hits to complete a sweep of struggling San Francisco.

Mike Moustakas, Jorge Bonifacio and Lorenzo Cain each belted a home run to back the strong pitching of Jason Hammel (3-6). In beating the Giants for first time in 13 tries, Hammel scattered eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Bonifacio recorded three RBIs, and Moustakas and Cain drove in two runs apiece for the Royals, who improved to 4-1 in interleague play this season. San Francisco has lost seven of its last eight home games.

Marlins 11, Athletics 6

MIAMI — Marcell Ozuna homered for the second consecutive game to lead Miami past Oakland.

Ozuna went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, and Christian Yelich and Dee Gordon had two RBIs apiece to lead the Marlins to a sweep of the two-game series. Ozuna leads the Marlins in RBIs (47) and is tied with Giancarlo Stanton for the team lead in homers (17).

Daniel Gossett (0-1), who made his major league debut, lasted 3 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs (six earned), six hits and one walk. The Athletics (9-25 on the road) have lost nine straight series away from home, their worst road stretch since 1986.

Padres 4, Reds 2

SAN DIEGO — Rookie Franchy Cordero drove home Matt Szczur with a single in the seventh inning to break a tie and lead the San Diego to a three-game sweep of Cincinnati.

The Padres scored a second run in the seventh on an infield out on a ball that deflected off the glove of Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen (3-2). Starter Jhoulys Chacin (6-5) was credited with the win. Brandon Maurer picked up his 12th save.

San Diego’s Hunter Renfroe hit his 14th home run of the season, tying him with Nate Colbert (1969) for the most homers in the first half of a season by a Padres rookie.

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