Ortiz hits grand slam as Red Sox top Marlins 15-5

BOSTON (AP) ― David Ortiz hit a grand slam for one of the Red Sox’s four homers as they set a season high in runs, beating the Miami Marlins 15-5 Wednesday night on the hottest day of the year in Boston.

Mike Aviles, Jarod Saltalamacchia and Will Middlebrooks also homered one night after Ortiz hit one of Boston’s three homers in a 7-5 victory over Miami.

With a game-time temperature of 95 degrees, the Red Sox pounded out 16 hits and won their fourth straight game and sixth in their last seven. They moved out of last place in the AL East at 35-33, passing Toronto after the Blue Jays lost 8-3 to Milwaukee.

The Marlins lost for the 12th time in 14 games despite scoring four runs and nine hits in six innings against Felix Doubront (8-3). Florida’s Ricky Nolasco (6-6) gave up nine runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings.

The Red Sox offense has come alive in the past week with at least seven runs in four of their last six games.

White Sox 7, Cubs 0

Angels 3, Giants 0

Athletics 3, Dodgers 1

Phillies 7, Rockies 6

Royals 2, Astros 1

Brewers 8, Blue Jays 3

D-backs 14, Mariners 10

Rnagers 4, Padres 2

Nationals 3, Rays 2

Braves 10, Yankees 5

Twins 2, Pirates 1

Cardinals 3, Tigers 1

Mets 4, Orioles 3

Indians 8, Reds 1









Red Sox 15, Marlins 5

On Wednesday, Aviles’s three-run homer gave Boston a 3-2 lead in the second. In the third, Cody Ross’ three-run double, on which Ortiz hustled home where the throw hit him and bounced away from catcher John Buck, made it 6-2.

Then Ortiz’s 11th career grand slam, and 18th homer of the year, highlighted a six-run fourth that put Boston on top 12-4. Daniel Nava was on base at the time with one of his four singles.

Before the game, Miami manager Ozzie Guillen said he wouldn’t change his lineup to help stop the slide. His offense has been better, scoring five runs in each game of the series after going 12 straight with four runs or less. But even when the Marlins scored, it wasn’t always easy.

Buck hit his fifth homer, a solo shot that made it 13-5 in the seventh, but immediately clutched his right hamstring and trotted slowly around the bases. He remained in the game before leaving for a pinch hitter in the ninth.

For the second straight game, the Marlins led 2-0. They scored in the first on singles by Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez and a double-play grounder by Giancarlo Stanton. They added a run in the second on a double by Justin Ruggiano, a single by Omar Infante and a groundout by Gaby Sanchez.

But the Red Sox quickly jumped ahead by four runs after three innings.

Then the Marlins cut the lead to 6-4 in the fourth on a solo homer by Logan Morrison, who drove in all five runs on Tuesday, and a run-scoring groundout by Sanchez.

Boston drove Nolasco from the game in the fourth when singles by Aviles, Nava and Ryan Kalish produced one run. After a single by Adrian Gonzalez loaded the bases, Ortiz homered for the third straight game, a grand slam off Chris Hatcher. Saltalamacchia’s 13th homer finished the inning.

Nick Punto scored the Red Sox 13th run on Hatcher’s wild pitch in the fifth and Middlebrooks hit his seventh homer, a two-run shot in the eighth.


Masterson snuffs Reds in Indians’ 8-1 win

CLEVELAND (AP) ― Justin Masterson pitched a three-hitter for his first complete game this season and the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians finished a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with an 8-1 victory Wednesday night.

Masterson (4-6) took a shutout into the eighth before the Reds ended the right-hander’s streak of consecutive scoreless innings at 18.

He did not walk a batter and struck out nine, including the side in the ninth, for his fourth career complete game. Cincinnati’s run was unearned.

Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run homer and Johnny Damon hit a two-run shot in the fifth inning off Bronson Arroyo (3-5). Lonnie Chisenhall added three RBIs for Cleveland.

After losing three straight in Cincinnati last week, the Indians returned the favor on the Reds, who entered the series on a six-game winning streak.

It was the first time the Reds and Indians had faced each other as first-place teams since 1999, and Masterson made sure Cleveland came out on top.

Red Sox 15, Marlins 5

White Sox 7, Cubs 0

Angels 3, Giants 0

Athletics 3, Dodgers 1

Phillies 7, Rockies 6

Royals 2, Astros 1

Brewers 8, Blue Jays 3

D-backs 14, Mariners 10

Rnagers 4, Padres 2

Nationals 3, Rays 2

Braves 10, Yankees 5

Twins 2, Pirates 1

Cardinals 3, Tigers 1

Mets 4, Orioles 3

Indians 8, Reds 1