BALTIMORE -- Mookie Betts hit a career-high three home runs and drove in five runs, and the Boston Red Sox cruised past the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Tuesday night to open a three-game lead in the AL East.
Betts led off the game with a shot to center and added a three-run drive to left in the second inning. After lining out to second base in the fourth, Betts hit a bases-empty home run to right in the seventh.
Batting in the ninth inning with a chance to tie the major league record of four home runs in a game, Betts grounded out to second against rookie Ashur Tolliver (Sylvan Hills).
Still, he's the first Boston player to hit three home runs in a game since Will Middlebrooks against Toronto on April 7, 2013. Betts' 12 home runs rank second on the team behind David Ortiz, who has 14.
Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts stretched his career-best hitting streak to 24 games with a single in the seventh inning. It's the second-longest in the majors this season behind teammate Jackie Bradley Jr., whose 29-game streak ended last week.
Bradley was placed on the paternity list Tuesday, but the Red Sox banged out 10 hits without him.
Betts and Dustin Pedroia opened the game with back-to-back home runs on Kevin Gausman's second and fifth pitches. In the second inning, Betts followed two walks with a liner that squeezed inside the left-field foul pole for a 5-0 lead.
Betts made it 6-2 in the seventh with a shot off Dylan Bundy.
ROYALS 10, RAYS 5 Lorenzo Cain homered and drove in four runs as Kansas City beat visiting Tampa Bay, extending its winning streak to a season-best five games. Former Arkansas Razorback Brett Eibner, the Royals' rookie left fielder, left the game on a cart after a left lateral ankle sprain.
BLUE JAYS 4, YANKEES 1 Kevin Pillar singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and made a highlight-reel diving catch in center field to help Toronto beat visiting New York.
RANGERS 7, INDIANS 3 Colby Lewis allowed two hits over six shutout innings, leading visiting Texas over Cleveland and improving to 5-0 for the first time in his major league career.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 10, BREWERS 3 Matt Carpenter tied his season high with four hits for the second consecutive game, scored four times and drove in two runs to lead visiting St. Louis over Milwaukee.
DODGERS 5, CUBS 0 Scott Kazmir and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, matching zeros with Cubs ace Jake Arrieta before visiting Los Angeles got to Chicago's bullpen for a victory.
NATIONALS 5, PHILLIES 1 Daniel Murphy hit one of four Washington home runs, Joe Ross allowed three hits in seven innings and the visiting Nationals beat Philadelphia.
MARLINS 3, PIRATES 1 Jose Fernandez pitched seven scoreless innings to help host Miami beat Pittsburgh.
GIANTS 4, BRAVES 0 Jake Peavy faced the minimum 21 batters through seven innings, Denard Span drove in two runs with three hits and visiting San Francisco beat Atlanta.
ROCKIES 17, REDS 4 Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon each hit two of host Colorado's team record-tying seven home runs, powering the Rockies to a victory over Cincinnati.
INTERLEAGUE
ASTROS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 5 George Springer finished a triple shy of the cycle and had four RBI to spark visiting Houston to a victory over Arizona.
MARINERS 16, PADRES 4 Seth Smith hit 2 of host Seattle's 5 home runs and finished with 4 RBI, Adam Lind and Kyle Seager both hit three-run home runs, and the Mariners pummeled San Diego.
WHITE SOX 6, METS 4 Tyler Saladino hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and visiting Chicago rallied from an early four-run deficit, stopping a seven-game losing streak with a victory over New York.
Sports on 06/01/2016