BOSTON — Hanley Ramirez told his Red Sox teammates in the dugout that he wasn’t going to swing for the fences in his final at-bat.
BOSTON — Hanley Ramirez told his Red Sox teammates in the dugout that he wasn’t going to swing for the fences in his final at-bat.
It doesn’t work for him that way.
“I don’t hit homers when I try to hit homers,” he explained to reporters after Boston’s 11-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants. “They said, ‘It doesn’t matter. You’ve got three already.’”
Ramirez homered three times to drive in a career-high six runs and also helped the Red Sox with some nifty fielding on Wednesday night as Boston moved into first place in the AL East. With a chance to tie the major league record of four homers in a game, he grounded out weakly to the pitcher in his last at-bat.
Travis Shaw and Sandy Leon also homered for Boston, and Mookie Betts had three of the 15 Boston hits that made up for a poor outing from starter Drew Pomeranz. Acquired last week from San Diego for Boston’s top pitching prospect, Pomeranz struggled to protect an eight-run lead and lasted just three innings in his Red Sox debut.
“Unfortunately it was an early night for him,” manager John Farrell said. “He’ll be back out there in five days.”
Boston opened an 8-0 lead and held on to win for the eighth time in nine games and move a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, who lost 5-0 to the Yankees.
And Ramirez was the biggest reason why.
The converted first baseman made several fine fielding plays, diving to his left and his right and also starting a double play in the sixth with the bases loaded and nobody out after San Francisco had already cut Boston’s 8-0 lead to 8-7.
“Everything went right today,” he said.
Ramirez’s first career three-homer game gave him 11 for the season. He hit two-run shots in the second, third and sixth inning.
CUBS 6, METS 2
CHICAGO — Anthony Rizzo homered twice off Bartolo Colon, Kyle Hendricks pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Chicago beat New York to take two of three in the rematch of last year’s NL Championship Series.
Rizzo pulled a slider to right for a solo homer in the third. Two innings later with a runner on, he sent a fastball into the right-field bleachers.
Doubleheader:
CARDINALS 4, PADRES 2
CARDINALS 3, PADRES 2
ST. LOUIS — Jedd Gyorko homered for the fifth straight game off San Diego pitching, connecting twice and driving in all three RBIs in a 3-2 victory to give St. Louis a doubleheader sweep.
Gyorko, dealt by the Padres in the offseason for outfielder Jon Jay, is 13 for 21 (.619) against his old team with six homers and 10 RBIs. He has 11 homers and 27 RBIs on the year with 40 starts spread across the infield. He started at third base in both games of the doubleheader.
He has four consecutive three-hit games against San Diego and four career multi-homer games, with both long balls in Game 2 off Paul Clemens (1-1).
Carlos Martinez (9-6) was dominant after a shaky first inning and a nosebleed in the second, and the Cardinals took the opener 4-2. Gyorko, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina homered off Colin Rea (5-4).
Ryan Schimpf homered in both games for San Diego.
Jaime Garcia (7-6) allowed a run in 5 2-3 innings in the second game, and Seung Hwan Oh earned his fourth save in five chances, and second of the day.
NATIONALS 8, DODGERS 1
WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper led an offensive outburst with a home run into the third deck in right field and Washington beat Los Angeles.
Harper’s 20th home run of the season, a two-run blast, traveled an estimated 451 feet off Bud Norris in the first inning. The National League MVP later walked and scored on Wilson Ramos’ RBI double.
INDIANS 11, ROYALS 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyler Naquin hit two of the Indians’ five homers and had a career-high six RBIs, helping Cleveland rout Kansas City.
Carlos Carrasco (7-3) only allowed one hit in six shutout innings, a one-out double by Cheslor Cuthbert in the fourth walked two in the sixth for his only other baserunners.
Naquin had his first multi-homer game, while Mike Napoli went deep for the second straight day. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana also hit home runs.
The first four homers were off Ian Kennedy (6-8), whose bizarre line included eight strikeouts and only one walk. But it was the ninth straight game Kennedy has served up a homer, and he has allowed 26 of them this season, tied with teammate Chris Young for most in the majors.
BLUE JAYS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 4
PHOENIX — Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion each hit two-run homers and Toronto beat Arizona.
Donaldson’s homer off Patrick Corbin (4-9) landed in the Chase Field swimming pool in the first inning. Encarnacion’s soaring shot off Daniel Hudson, projected at 471 feet, landed far down the walkway beyond the left field seats in the eighth. It was Encarnacion’s 26th home run of the season and ninth in his last eight games at Chase.
TWINS 4, TIGERS 1
DETROIT — Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario homered off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth and Minnesota Twins scored three runs in the inning to beat Detroit.
Detroit wasted a fine start by Justin Verlander, who gave up a run and two hits in eight innings. Rodriguez (1-1) retired the first two batters of the ninth before Kepler sent a drive to right field to break the 1-all tie. Rodriguez then made a throwing error and appeared to be shaken up, but after a conference at the mound he stayed in the game and allowed a two-run shot by Rosario.
YANKEES 5, ORIOLES 0
NEW YORK — Michael Pineda pitched six innings, Mark Teixeira homered in his return from his latest injury, and New York beat Baltimore to move two games above .500 for the first time since April.
Pineda (4-9) had six strikeouts with runners in scoring position and didn’t allow a run for the first time all season. New York has won the first three of the four-game series to improve to 38-36 — the last time the Yankees were two games over .500 was April 12 when they were 4-2.
MARINERS 6, WHITE SOX 5, 11 INNINGS
SEATTLE — Leonys Martin hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot with one out in the 11th inning that sent Seattle past Chicago.
Martin hit a two-run drive in the second inning. He then drove an 0-2 pitch from Dan Jennings (3-2) over the wall in right for his 13th homer.
REDS 6, BRAVES 3
CINCINNATI — Tucker Barnhart and Joey Votto hit two-run homers, and Cincinnati rallied to beat Atlanta to win the season series between the NL’s worst teams.
Barnhart’s homer completed a four-run rally in the sixth off Lucas Harrell (1-2). Votto extended his post-All Star break surge with his 16th homer off Ian Krol in the seventh. Votto is 11 for 20 in the last six games with two homers, a double and six walks.
PHILLIES 4, MARLINS 1
PHILADELPHIA — Jeremy Hellickson struck out eight in eight innings, Tyler Goeddel hit a two-run homer and Philadelphia beat Miami.
Hellickson (7-7) allowed one run and five hits, improving his value as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches. Miami’s Wei-Yin Chen (5-4) gave up four runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
ASTROS 7, ATHLETICS 0
OAKLAND, Calif. — Doug Fister pitched seven innings and Jose Altuve continued his torrid hitting to help Houston beat Oakland.
After losing three of his last four decisions, Fister (10-6) threw seven innings of four-hit ball and struck out five. The A’s failed to advance a runner past second base against Fister.
ANGELS 7, RANGERS 4
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jefry Marte hit a three-run homer and the Angels shut down a late rally by the AL West-leading Texas Rangers for a win that gave Los Angeles a three-game sweep.
It was the second straight sweep for the Angels, who won their sixth in a row and moved out of last place in the AL West.
RAYS 11, ROCKIES 3
DENVER — Chris Archer struck out 11 over six innings for his first victory since June 6, Tim Beckham had a career-high five hits and Tampa Bay routed Colorado.
Evan Longoria kept up his hot hitting with two doubles to help the Rays take two of three to capture their first road series since June 6-8 at Arizona.
BREWERS 9, PIRATES 5.
PITTSBURGH — Jonathan Lucroy had a two-run single in the sixth inning and finished with three RBIs in Milwaukee’s victory over Pittsburgh.
Jonathan Villar, Hernan Perez and Ryan Braun had two hits each for Milwaukee and Chris Carter and Scooter Gennett drove in two runs apiece while the Brewers jumped on starter Jeff Locke (8-6).
Carlos Torres (2-1) won in relief of Chase Anderson, who struggled once again but was bailed out by an offense that took it to Locke (8-6).