BOSTON -- Edwin Encarnacion homered twice to help the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians earn their fourth consecutive victory 7-3 over the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
In a rematch of last year's American League Division Series, which Cleveland won in a three-game sweep, Trevor Bauer (11-8) struck out 11 over 6⅔ innings for his fourth consecutive victory. He allowed three runs -- all on solo home runs by Red Sox rookies. Rafael Devers had two and Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas Razorbacks) hit one.
The Indians improved to a season-high five games in front of the second-place Minnesota Twins, who were idle. The Red Sox lost for just the second time in 12 games.
The quick visit to Fenway Park by the Indians was to make up an Aug. 2 rainout that came two days after Doug Fister (2-6) shut out Cleveland into the eighth inning. But this time he allowed 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks, striking out 5 in 4⅓ innings as his two-game winning streak ended.
Bauer gave up seven hits and two walks. Encarnacion had his 28th career multi-home run game, and his third this season.
Devers, who made his major league debut July 25, also homered in the ninth inning off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman on Sunday night to send the game into extra innings. Still two months from his 21st birthday, Devers became the third-youngest Red Sox player to have a multi-home run game. Only Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro were younger when they did it.
Eduardo Nunez had three singles for Boston.
The Indians scored three in the second, but Encarnacion popped out with the bases loaded to end the inning. When he came up again in the fifth, he cleared the Green Monster and the seats above them for a two-run home run that broke a 3-3 tie. The next inning, his second two-run shot of the game made it 7-3.
BLUE JAYS 2, RAYS 1 Josh Donaldson homered for the second consecutive game, Nick Tepesch won for the first time in almost three years and host Toronto beat slumping Tampa Bay.
RANGERS 6, TIGERS 2 Joey Gallo hit his 33rd home run and host Texas beat Detroit. Martin Perez (7-10) had a second consecutive solid start for Texas. The lefty made it through six innings without giving up any more runs after trailing 2-0 only three batters into the game.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ROCKIES 3, BRAVES 0 Chad Bettis drew a standing ovation when he took the mound for the first time since cancer treatment, then threw seven scoreless innings as host Colorado beat Atlanta. Bettis scattered 6 hits, walked none and struck out 2. He hadn't pitched in the majors since being diagnosed with testicular cancer in November. Bettis had surgery for the condition, but tests in March showed the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. He later underwent chemotherapy. He left for a pinch-hitter in the seventh with the game still scoreless. Colorado scored three times in the eighth off Rex Brothers (2-3), who relieved starter Julio Teheran. Mike Dunn (5-1) got the victory and Greg Holland closed for his 35th save.
CUBS 15, REDS 5 Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo hit back-to-back home runs to cap a five-run fourth inning, and host Chicago continued its recent dominance of Cincinnati. Bryant went 2 for 4 with a walk and has reached safely in 16 of his last 20 plate appearances. Rizzo was 3 for 5 with a season-high 5 RBI. Jon Jay had three hits with an RBI and finished a home run shy of the cycle.
MARLINS 8, GIANTS 3 Giancarlo Stanton hit his team-record 43rd home run, connecting in his fifth consecutive game and sending host Miami over San Francisco. Stanton broke the club mark of 42 home runs set by Gary Sheffield in 1996. Stanton has homered 22 times in his past 34 games. Stanton set another team record for most consecutive games with a home run when he tagged Ty Blach (8-8) for a two-run drive in the first inning.
INTERLEAGUE
YANKEES 4, METS 2 Aaron Judge hit a tying home run in the sixth inning, Aaron Hicks and Gary Sanchez went deep in the eighth, and the host Yankees rallied to beat the Mets in the first of four Subway Series matchups this week.
Sports on 08/15/2017