MLB roundup: Red Sox go back-to-back twice

 

[September 10, 2024]  Rob Refsnyder and Tyler O'Neill hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning and did the same in the eighth inning to help the Boston Red Sox defeat the visiting Baltimore Orioles 12-3 on Monday.

By going deep in the first inning off Baltimore starter Cade Povich and in the eighth against Cole Irvin, Refsnyder and O'Neill became the second pair of Red Sox players to have two sets of back-to-back homers in the same game. Mo Vaughn and Tim Naehring accomplished the feat on April 19, 1994, against the Oakland A's.

Refsnyder had four hits and five RBIs in the win. O'Neill and Rafael Devers each added three hits for the Red Sox. Ceddanne Rafaela collected two hits and four RBIs. Boston starter Brayan Bello (13-7) gave up two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Povich (2-8) allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Baltimore's Anthony Santander hit his 40th homer of the season and had three RBIs.

Guardians 5, White Sox 3

Rookie Joey Cantillo took a perfect-game bid into the seventh inning and David Fry and Bo Naylor homered as visiting Cleveland defeated Chicago.

Cantillo, recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Columbus, retired the first 20 batters he faced before Andrew Benintendi singled with two outs in the seventh.

Cantillo (1-3) gave up one run and two hits in seven innings to go along with 10 strikeouts and no walks. Emmanuel Clase got his 43rd save. Bryan Ramos hit his first career homer for Chicago. White Sox opener Jared Shuster (1-4) allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Reds 1, Braves 0

Nick Martinez fired seven sharp innings on Monday, pitching Cincinnati to a win at Atlanta. The game was the makeup of a postponement from July 24.

The Reds scored the game's only run in the second inning on a Ty France opposite-field double that drove home TJ Friedl. Martinez (8-6) retired 17 consecutive batters until Matt Olson beat out an infield grounder with one out in the seventh inning. Martinez allowed just two hits.

Charlie Morton (8-8) allowed one run on six hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings as Atlanta fell a game behind the New York Mets in the race for the final National League wild-card spot.

Yankees 10, Royals 4

Austin Wells hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning and drove in four runs as New York defeated visiting Kansas City.

Alex Verdugo added a two-run homer for the Yankees, who tallied 12 hits and won for the third time in four games. Gleyber Torres had three hits and an RBI. Yankees starter Carlos Rodon allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits over six innings.

Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe homered for the Royals, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Perez went 4-for-4 with three RBIs.

Phillies 2, Rays 1

Kody Clemens grounded an RBI single through the right side with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning to lift host Philadelphia to a victory over Tampa Bay.

Clemens had been hitless in his previous 13 at-bats before delivering against Garrett Cleavinger. Kyle Schwarber's 34th home run -- his sixth in the past seven games -- and Cristopher Sanchez's six scoreless innings helped the Phillies avoid a third straight defeat.

Brandon Lowe hit a game-tying pinch homer in the top of the ninth for the Rays, who did not allow a hit until Schwarber's sixth-inning blast. Yandy Diaz contributed two hits for Tampa Bay.

Pirates 3, Marlins 2

Rookie right-hander Paul Skenes allowed one run on six hits over six innings to help Pittsburgh beat visiting Miami in the opener of a three-game series.

Sep 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) hits a two run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Skenes (10-2) struck out nine and walked one in his 20th start of the season. He lowered his ERA to 2.10 while continuing to build his resume for National League Rookie of the Year. Oneil Cruz homered, Andrew McCutchen had two hits and Bryan Reynolds drove in two runs for the Pirates.

Marlins starter Valente Bellozo (2-3) was tagged for three runs (one earned) and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez and Jesus Sanchez had two hits apiece for the Marlins.

Mets 3, Blue Jays 2

New York scored on a wild pitch and then on a passed ball in a two-run eighth inning and defeated host Toronto.

Tylor Megill tossed six scoreless innings and matched his season high with nine strikeouts for the Mets, who had a nine-game winning streak end Sunday. Megill filled in after Paul Blackburn was scratched pregame due to a tight back. Ryne Stanek (7-3) got the win, and Edwin Diaz logged his 17th save.

The Blue Jays fell for the sixth time in seven games. They clung to a 2-1 until the eighth, when the Mets loaded the bases then scored on a wild pitch by Tommy Nance (0-1). New York added the go-ahead run one out later when a passed ball eluded catcher Brian Serven.

Angels 6, Twins 2

Brandon Drury and Niko Kavadas each hit a two-run homer and Los Angeles pulled away for a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Nolan Schanuel also drove in a pair of runs for the Angels. Taylor Ward finished 3-for-4 and drew a walk. Reid Detmers (4-6) limited the Twins to two runs on five hits in six innings.

Kyle Farmer hit a solo home run for the Twins, who dropped their fourth consecutive game. David Festa (2-6) surrendered four runs on four hits in four innings.

Cubs 10, Dodgers 4

Cody Bellinger and Michael Busch homered against their former team and visiting Chicago finished off a victory over Los Angeles to open a three-game series.

Bellinger, who played six seasons for the Dodgers and was the National League's Most Valuable Player for Los Angeles in 2019, hit a two-run homer and added an RBI single. Busch, who was traded to Chicago in January, had four hits, including a solo shot, and three RBIs.

Shohei Ohtani had a stolen base for the Dodgers to give him 47 on the season. Ohtani also has 46 home runs as he closes in on the first 50-50 season in major league history with 18 regular-season games remaining. Los Angeles right-hander Walker Buehler (1-5) gave up five runs on nine hits over five-plus innings. Mookie Betts had a two-run homer.

--Field Level Media

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