MINNEAPOLIS — David Ortiz homered twice for the second straight game and the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 9-4 on Wednesday night. ADVERTISING MINNEAPOLIS — David Ortiz homered twice for the second straight game and the Boston Red
MINNEAPOLIS — David Ortiz homered twice for the second straight game and the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 9-4 on Wednesday night.
Big Papi went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, one night after a four-hit performance against his former team. Both of his homeruns — off Kevin Correia (1-5) in the third and Caleb Theilbar in the fifth — traveled more than 400 feet into the right-field upper deck at Target Field, where he’s batting .528 (28 of 53) in 13 career games.
It was more than enough for Felix Doubront (2-3), who allowed a run on seven hits in 6 1-3 innings and retired nine straight at one point. Doubront hadn’t won since April 3 at Baltimore, his first start of the season.
WHITE SOX 4, ATHLETICS 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jose Abreu hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to help Chicago snap a four-game losing streak.
Gordon Beckham homered on the first pitch of the game for the White Sox, who rallied against Oakland’s bullpen to end a seven-game losing streak at the Coliseum.
John Jaso and Josh Donaldson hit solo homers off Andre Rienzo for the Athletics.
Beckham and Conor Gillaspie started the rally with one-out singles against Fernando Abad (0-1), and Abreu greeted Luke Gregerson with a no-doubt drive to left field for his 15th home run of the season.
Abreu, a rookie slugger from Cuba, is the fourth player in major league history to hit 15 homers in his first 42 games, joining Wally Berger, Kevin Maas and Wally Joyner.
Ronald Belisario (2-3) got four outs for the win and Matt Lindstrom pitched the ninth for his sixth save in nine chances.
TIGERS 7, ORIOLES 5
BALTIMORE — Rajai Davis homered, and Detroit overcame a rare shaky performance by Justin Verlander to complete a three-game sweep.
The Tigers have won 12 of their last 15 games, including eight in a row on the road. Baltimore has lost four straight.
Verlander (5-2) allowed a season-high five runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks in six innings. He still improved to 7-0 in eight outings at Camden Yards. But it was the first time in 15 games a Detroit starter allowed more than three runs.
Davis hit his third home run and had two RBIs for the Tigers.
Baltimore’s Nelson Cruz had two hits, including his 11th home run. Adam Jones went 3 for 5 with an RBI and extended his hitting streak to nine games.
RAYS 2, MARINERS 0
SEATTLE — Jake Odorizzi pitched one-hit ball for six innings, but the Tampa Bay Rays lost All-Star Ben Zobrist in a win.
Zobrist dislocated his left thumb on a headfirst slide while trying to steal second base in the fifth. The valuable all-purpose player jammed himself into the bag after being tagged out, walked off the field holding his hand and later had his thumb adjusted back into place.
Zobrist will remain with the team for the final four games of a West Coast road trip and be re-evaluated when the Rays return home.
Odorizzi (2-3) picked up his first win since the opening week of the season, teaming with three relievers on a combined two-hitter.
Brandon Maurer (1-2) and the Seattle bullpen held the Rays to three hits.
INDIANS 15, BLUE JAYS 4
TORONTO — David Murphy had five hits and five RBIs and Lonnie Chisenhall had five hits and an RBI and Cleveland beat Toronto.
Corey Kluber (4-3) pitched seven innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season, and Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes homered as the Indians set season-highs with 22 hits and 15 runs in winning for the sixth time in eight games.
Infielder Steve Tolleson came on to record the final out in the ninth inning after Gomes drilled a three-run homer off Neil Wagner. Throwing knuckleballs, Tolleson faced two batters, giving up a double to Chisenhall before Mike Aviles popped out.
Blue Jays starter Dustin McGowan (2-2) allowed four runs and nine hits in four-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.
ASTROS 5, RANGERS 4
HOUSTON — Matt Dominguez hit an RBI single off the right-field wall in the ninth inning and Houston won a series against their in-state rivals for the first time since 2008.
The Astros took two of three after losing 15 straight series to the Rangers. Houston overcame a four-run deficit to win.
Dexter Fowler singled with one out in the ninth, Jason Castro drew a walk and Dominguez hit a long fly ball off Nick Martinez (0-1).
Chad Qualls (1-1) got the last two outs in the ninth for the win.
Alex Rios hit a solo homer, Adrian Beltre had three hits and Prince Fielder drove in two runs for Texas.
INTERLEAGUE
ROYALS 3, ROCKIES 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mike Moustakas hit a three-run double in the second inning, and Jason Vargas and Kansas City bullpen made it stand up.
Vargas (4-1) did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and did not allow a run until Drew Stubbs belted a two-run homer in the seventh.
Louis Coleman got the Royals out of the inning without any more damage, and Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect eighth before Greg Holland survived a shaky ninth for his 10th save.
Jhoulys Chacin (1-1) allowed the three runs that Moustakas drove in but otherwise pitched well for Colorado. He allowed seven hits and two walks over six innings.
Vargas struck out a season-high eight in 6 2-3 innings.
