Jul 19, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) watches his three-run home run with San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) during the third inning at Fenway Park. Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
BOSTON — David Ortiz slugged a three-run homer off old friend Jake Peavy as the Boston Red Sox beat the San Francisco Giants 4-0 Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Ortiz’s homer was No. 526 of his career, bringing him within eight of Jimmie Foxx for 18th place on the all-time list. It was the 40-year-old slugger’s 994th extra-base hit with the Red Sox.
Peavy, making his first start at Fenway since Boston traded him to San Francisco on July 26, 2014, lasted six innings, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Peavy (5-8) was a member of the Red Sox’s 2013 World Series championship team and the Giants’ 2014 World Series championship squad. He received a standing ovation from the Fenway faithful while throwing his second-inning warm-up pitches.
Brock Holt added a solo homer for Boston, which is a season-high-tying 13 games above .500. The Red Sox (52-39) won their fifth consecutive home game and improved to 10-3 in the month of July.
Pirates 3, Brewers 2
PITTSBURGH — Josh Harrison tripled in the bottom of the ninth inning and scored on the play after second baseman Scooter Gennett’s throwing error as Pittsburgh rallied to beat Milwaukee.
Harrison drove the second pitch by reliever Tyler Thornburg (3-4) off the top of the wall in right-center field as center fielder Kirk Nieuwhenhuis failed to make a leaping catch, then kept on going as Gennett’s throw sailed wide of third.
Pirates closer Mark Melancon (1-1) got the win but blew a save opportunity for the second time in as many games — he’s 27 of 30 — when, with Milwaukee down to its final strike in the top of the inning, Hernan Perez singled to make it 2-all in the ninth. Ryan Braun walked to start the inning and Jonathan Lucroy singled.
Twins 6, Tigers 2
DETROIT — Tommy Milone took a shutout into the ninth inning while winning his third consecutive start, and Eduardo Nunez drove in three runs as Minnesota held off Detroit at Comerica Park.
Milone (3-2) allowed two runs on four hits over 8 1/3 innings in Minnesota’s first victory over the Tigers in eight meetings this season. James McCann’s third-inning single was the only hit he gave up until the ninth. Milone walked two and struck out four.
It was his longest outing since he tossed 8 1/3 innings against the Kansas City Royals on July 5, 2013. His only nine-inning complete game came against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 20, 2012.
Yankees 7, Orioles 1
NEW YORK — Starlin Castro drove in four runs and New York moved over the .500 mark for the first time in over three weeks with a victory over Baltimore.
Castro had his second game with at least four RBI and homered for the first time in 22 games since June 22.
The second baseman began his big night with a second-deck, two-run home run in the second inning off Vance Worley (2-1) and padded New York’s lead with a two-run double in the sixth off Odrisamer Despaigne.
Dodgers 8, Nationals 4
WASHINGTON — Chase Utley had three hits and three RBIs, including a leadoff homer, and crafty left-hander Scott Kazmir gave up just one run and four hits in seven innings as Los Angeles beat Washington.
Utley had an RBI single in the eighth inning off reliever Blake Treinen to boost the lead to 7-1. But Washington’s Trea Turner had a two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth off Chris Hatcher to make it 7-3 before left-hander Adam Liberatore came on to pitch for the Dodgers.
Liberatore gave up an RBI double to Daniel Murphy — who just missed a homer — with one out as the Nationals trimmed the margin to 7-4, but he then retired Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper.
Mets 2, Cubs 1
CHICAGO — Rene Rivera singled in a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning as New York held on to beat Chicago.
Rivera, who went 3-for-4, laced a two-out single to right off Cubs closer Hector Rondon to score Neil Walker from second base to give the Mets their first lead of the night.
New York closer Jeurys Familia then pitched a shaky but ultimately successful ninth despite loading the bases. He was rescued by a play at the plate that prevented Addison Russell from scoring a tying run followed by a game-ending double play that snuffed out a potential walk-off rally to collect his 33rd save.
Padres-Cardinals (rained out)
ST. LOUIS — Once a heavy thunderstorm finally reached Busch Stadium, Tuesday night’s scheduled game between San Diego and St. Louis didn’t stand a chance.
Delayed before the start, the game was finally called after a wait of an hour and 32 minutes due to rain, and it was rescheduled as the day portion of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday.
Carlos Martinez (8-6, 2.85 ERA) is expected to work the opener for St. Louis against Colin Rea (5-3, 4.95). In the nightcap, the Cardinals will pitch left-hander Jaime Garcia (6-6, 4.11) against Paul Clemens (1-0, 4.73).
The Cardinals (48-44) opted not to start the game as planned Tuesday when the storm was detected less than 30 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Neither Martinez or Rea even started his warmups, and the field was covered shortly after the national anthem.
