BOSTON — David Ortiz’s last hit wound up being a souvenir. Many in the crowd at Fenway Park wished the ball had stayed on the field.
Ortiz went 4 for 4 with a solo home run and a double that sent a fan flying, Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 27 games and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 on Sunday.
Ortiz drove in three runs. His RBI double in the second put the Red Sox ahead 3-2, and when the ball bounced over Boston’s bullpen, a fan came charging from his seat and fell into a fence trying to retrieve it.
Ortiz, 40, was a triple short of a cycle when another ground-rule double bounced into the bullpen near the center-field triangle in deep center. He had thoughts of a cycle rounding first.
“It wasn’t on my mind, but when I went around first base and saw everybody going crazy I was like ‘Whoa, I better get it going,’” Ortiz said.
Ortiz has never hit for the cycle.
“I was hoping a fan could slap it back in play,” Bradley said. “I think I heard him mutter, ‘It’s going to be hard to go three with a flat tire.’”
Indians Manager Terry Francona knows Ortiz well from managing him in Boston from 2004-11. He’s certainly impressed by the star’s production this season.
“Wish he would have retired last year,” Francona said, joking. “He’s kind of on a different level right now. It looks like he’s playing softball.”
Ortiz raised his average to .329 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI.
The Red Sox won for the 10th time in 14 games.
WHITE SOX 3, ROYALS 2 Todd Frazier tied for the AL lead with his 13th home run, Melky Cabrera drove in two runs and Chicago avoided what would have been the first sweep against the White Sox this season.
RANGERS 9, ASTROS 2 Cole Hamels (5-0) won his career-best 12th consecutive decision. He fanned a season-high 11 in 8 innings, allowing 2 runs — 1 earned — and 5 hits as the Rangers completed a three-game sweep.
ANGELS 10, ORIOLES 2 Jered Weaver (4-3) took a shutout into the seventh inning to win for the first time since April 26, and Carlos Perez homered, had three hits and drove in a career-high five runs.
YANKEES 5, ATHLETICS 4 Michael Pineda (2-5) allowed 3 runs and 6 hits in 6 innings to win for the first time since his opening start this season, Starlin Castro hit a tiebreaking, two-out single in the sixth off Jesse Hahn (1-2) and New York extended a winning streak to five.
TIGERS 9, RAYS 4 Jordan Zimmermann (7-2) left with a strained right groin after allowing 2 runs and 5 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
BLUE JAYS 3, TWINS 1 Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson started the game with backto-back home runs in a three-run first inning against Phil Hughes (1-7), who leads the major leagues in losses.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
METS 3, BREWERS 1 Noah Syndergaard (5-2) struck out 11 in 7 innings, allowing an unearned run and 6 hits.
NATIONALS 8, MARLINS 2 Max Scherzer (5-3) struck out 8 while giving up 2 runs and 6 hits in 8 innings with no walks.
PHILLIES 5, BRAVES 0 Jerad Eickhoff (2-6) pitched five-hit ball over seven innings for his first victory since April 13, and Philadelphia avoided a three-game sweep.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, CARDINALS 2 Zack Greinke (5-3) won for the fifth time in six starts, allowing 1 run and 5 hits in 8 innings.
DODGERS 9, PADRES 5 (17) Yasiel Puig hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with the bases loaded and one out in the 17th inning as the Dodgers snapped a four-game losing streak. GIANTS 1, CUBS 0 Madison Bumgarner pitched 7 2/3 dominant innings and doubled in a run in the fifth to lift San Francisco over the Chicago Cubs.
INTERLEAGUE
MARINERS 5, REDS 4 Leonys Martin had four hits, Robinson Cano drove in two runs and Seattle completed a three-game sweep that extended Cincinnati’s losing streak to seven.
Sports on 05/23/2016