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Wilyer Abreu homers twice as the Red Sox beat the Cubs 6-1 to avoid a sweep
Wilyer Abreu homered twice and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 to avoid a series sweep.
CHICAGO (AP) — Wilyer Abreu homered twice and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Alex Bregman also connected as Boston rallied after managing just one run in its first two games after the All-Star break. Garrett Crochet (11-4) pitched six effective innings in his fourth consecutive win.
The Red Sox went ahead to stay when Trevor Story opened the seventh with a walk and Abreu hit a drive to right-center off Ryan Pressly (2-3) for his 19th homer.
Bregman broke it open with a pinch-hit shot off Drew Pomeranz for a three-run homer in the eighth. Abreu tacked on a two-out solo drive against Ethan Roberts.
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It was Abreu’s fourth multihomer game of the season and No. 5 for his career. He hit a total of 17 homers in his first two years in the majors.
Boston improved to 12-3 in July. It had won 10 in a row going into the series.
Chicago wasted a sharp performance by Cade Horton, who pitched 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball. The Cubs had won five of six.
Crochet allowed eight hits in his first start since July 12. The All-Star left-hander struck out five and walked two.
Chicago scored its only run in the second. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff double and Dansby Swanson followed with an infield single. After Crow-Armstrong was caught stealing third, Swanson raced home from second on Ian Happ’s single to right.
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The Cubs threatened in the fifth, loading the bases with two down. But Crochet escaped the jam when he got Carson Kelly to bounce into a fielder’s choice.
The Red Sox improved to 13-14 against the Cubs since the start of interleague play in 1997.
Red Sox: RHP Walker Buehler (6-6, 6.12 ERA) starts Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia. RHP Zack Wheeler (9-3, 2.36 ERA) goes for the Phillies.
Cubs: Stay at home for the opener of a three-game set against Kansas City on Monday night.
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