Kansas 13 Boston 5
MJ Melendez hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning and had a career-high six RBIs to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 13-5 on Sunday.
Rookie Melendez fired an estimated 406-foot shot to right field that bounced off fountains to give the Royals a 5-0 lead.
Meléndez is putting together a great campaign after being called up on May 3. He hit 13 home runs on the year and has back-to-back home run games four times this season. Among rookies, he has hit the fifth-most home runs this season and is just two behind teammate Bobby Witt Jr.
Brad Keller (6-12) had his 11th quality start of the season, pitching six innings, allowing one run on four hits while walking three and striking out four.
Rafael Devers put the only blemish on Keller’s line when he hit his 24th homer of the year, sending a 441-footer into fountains in right field. He was the only undisputed he got in five at-bats.
DODGERS 4 PARENTS 0
Cody Bellinger homered twice, Tyler Anderson allowed two hits in seven brilliant innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed an impressive sweep of the revamped San Diego Padres with a 4-0 victory Sunday.
Freddie Freeman had two RBI singles in the major league-leading Dodgers’ eighth straight victory and 30th in 35 games.
The Dodgers’ sweep was also a strong response to San Diego’s bold moves at the trade deadline to acquire Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury. After largely holding their own at the deadline, Los Angeles coolly opened a huge 15 1/2-game lead in the NL West as they outscored the second-place Padres by a combined 20-4 in three wins at Chavez Ravine.
Los Angeles has won 17 of its last 19 meetings with the Padres, who fell to 1-4 with four straight losses since their new sluggers arrived Wednesday, culminating in just their second shutout loss since May 18. The team sometimes known as Slam Diego also hasn’t homered during its four-game streak, managing just two hits in the series finale.
Soto went 0-for-2 with two walks, going hitless for the first time since joining San Diego in one of the biggest trades in baseball history. Soto was entertaining while using a microphone for the ESPN broadcast earlier in the game, but his frustration was evident when he hit a double play to end the sixth.
CINCINNATI 4 BREWERS 2
Donovan Solano had a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Sunday.
Solano, who also had an RBI double in the eight, had a lofty RBI in the 10th off Devin Williams (2-2) as the Reds won for the eighth time in 10 games.
“That’s what we’re here for … to win games,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Guys in the clubhouse, no matter what, they go out there and do everything in their power to find ways to win games. … It’s great to have some success and see our team enjoying what’s going on. It’s a good motivation to keep going and finish strong.”
Willy Adames and Keston Hiura homered for the Brewers. Hiura’s solo shot in the ninth tied the game.
Mike Brousseau made an error in the 10th that allowed the go-ahead run for the Reds.
Brewers starter Corbin Burnes pitched six innings allowing just one run on two hits and a pair of walks while striking out nine. He didn’t allow a hit until Nick Senzel doubled with two outs in the fourth and his only run came an inning later on a two-out solo homer off Reds catcher Michael Papierski.
Adames’ team-leading 22nd homer of the year represented the only run allowed by Reds starter Graham Ashcraft. The right-hander, filling an open spot when Hunter Greene landed on the disabled list before the series opener, scattered four hits and two walks while striking out three in 5 2/3 innings.