Sox fall despite Betts hitting 1st cycle of season

Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts is congratulated in the dugout after scoring against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)
Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts is congratulated in the dugout after scoring against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

BLUE JAYS 8, RED SOX 5

TORONTO -- Mookie Betts homered in the ninth inning to complete his first career cycle during the Toronto Blue Jays' 8-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

Betts is the 21st Red Sox player to hit for the cycle and the first in the major leagues this season. He singled and scored in the first inning, tripled in the second and doubled in the fourth against starter Ryan Borucki. After walking in the sixth, Betts hit a one-out drive off Ken Giles in the ninth for his 27th home run of the season.

Betts, 25, is the first Boston player to hit for the cycle since Brock Holt in 2015. Betts, Holt and Leon Culberson in 1943 are the only Red Sox to cycle from the leadoff spot.

The AL MVP candidate was 4 for 4 to raise his average to .347 with 59 RBI and a 1.102 OPS. He celebrated his no-doubt home run by lifting a fist and smiling at Boston's dugout.

Boston (81-35) lost for the first time in seven games but still has the best record in baseball.

Randal Grichuk hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the fifth inning and Teoscar Hernandez added a solo shot to help Toronto avoid a three-game sweep.

Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez hit his major league-leading 35th home run, a solo drive in the fifth.

Boston starter Rick Porcello (14-5) allowed 7 runs and 6 hits in 4 innings. Porcello lost for the first time since a July 13 home defeat to the Blue Jays, a game in which he allowed a season-worst eight earned runs. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 9.15 ERA in 4 starts against Toronto this season.

Borucki (2-2) allowed 4 runs and a career-worst 9 hits in 5 innings but won his second consecutive start. Borucki pitched eight shutout innings to beat the Mariners for his first major league victory in his previous outing.

INDIANS 5, TWINS 4 Michael Brantley's ninth-inning single gave Cleveland a victory over Minnesota, its second consecutive walk-off victory against the Twins. Brantley grounded a 2-1 pitch off Addison Reed (1-6) past a diving Miguel Sano at first base to score Greg Allen, giving Cleveland another dramatic win.

YANKEES 7, RANGERS 3 Giancarlo Stanton hit the hardest home run ever measured by Major League Baseball's Statcast system, Neil Walker hit two more home runs and New York beat Texas. Stanton's 28th home run was measured at 121.7 mph, the fastest long ball tracked by Statcast since the system was introduced in 2015.

RAYS 5, ORIOLES 4 Jake Bauers drove in two of his three runs with a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning and Tampa Bay beat Baltimore. Bauers' decisive hit off Cody Carroll (0-1) came in the Rays' franchise-record tying sixth consecutive one-run game.

MARINERS 8, ASTROS 6 Mitch Haniger homered while the Mariners jumped on Justin Verlander for six runs in two innings, and Seattle beat Houston. Haniger, Denard Span and Jean Segura combined for 10 hits and seven RBI with a home run each off Verlander.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NATIONALS 6, BRAVES 3 Gio Gonzalez pitched seven strong innings and earned his first victory since May 28 to help Washington defeat Atlanta to secure a four-game split. Gonzalez (7-8) snapped a personal seven-game losing streak and had gone 11 consecutive starts without a victory. He allowed 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3.

PADRES 8, BREWERS 4 Hunter Renfroe hit a go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning, his fourth consecutive game with a home run, and San Diego rallied for a victory over Milwaukee. Renfroe became the first Padres player to hit home runs and have multiple RBI games in four consecutive games.

DODGERS 8, ROCKIES 5 Chris Taylor and Brian Dozier homered off closer Wade Davis in the ninth inning and Los Angeles exploited Colorado's shaky bullpen. Caleb Ferguson (3-1) threw 1 2/3 innings to earn the victory. Scott Alexander pitched the ninth for his second save.

Sports on 08/10/2018

Upcoming Events