CEDDANNE Rafaela hit a two-run home run to help the Boston Red Sox stretch their winning streak to 10 games by beating the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
Rafaela’s home run came against Tampa Bay starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot and gave the Red Sox a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning. It was his 14th home run of the season and his fifth in his last eight games.
Boston’s Brayan Bello (6-3) held the Rays to one run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five. Aroldis Chapman struck out each of the three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his 17th save.
Pepiot (6-7) was pulled after six innings. He gave up four runs (three earned) and seven hits, struck out three and walked one.
The victory gave Boston a four-game sweep of Tampa Bay. It’s the first time the Red Sox have won 10 games in a row since July 2018.
In other games, it was the Cubs 4, Yankees 1; Reds 4, Rockies 2; Rangers 5, Astros 1; Marlins 11, Orioles 1; Mariners 8, Tigers 4; Guardians 6, White Sox 5 (10 innings); Brewers 8, Nationals 1; Athletics 6, Blue Jays 3; Royals 3, Mets 2; Phillies 2, Padres 1; Pirates 2, Twins 1; Cardinals 5, Braves 4; Dodgers 5, Giants 2 (11 innings); and Diamondbacks 5, Angels 1.
Cubs 4, Yankees 1
Shota Imanaga pitched seven outstanding innings as visiting Chicago ended the unofficial first half of the season with a victory over New York.
Imanaga (6-3) struck out six and walked one while throwing 55 of 91 pitches for strikes. Michael Busch homered in his first career plate appearance in the leadoff spot on the second pitch from New York rookie Will Warren (6-5). Dansby Swanson hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth off Ian Hamilton.
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Giancarlo Stanton hit his 433rd career homer in the second for the Yankees, who lost their second straight following a five-game winning streak.
