ATLANTA (AP) — David Ortiz homered and drove in four runs as the Boston Red Sox ended their 10-game losing streak, rallying from a five-run deficit to defeat the Atlanta Braves 8-6 Monday.
The defending World Series champions trailed 6-1 after the fourth inning of the interleague matchup, with starter Clay Buchholz walking a career-high eight in only three-plus innings.
But Ortiz tied it by hitting a three-run homer off Ervin Santana in the fifth. With Red Sox fans at Turner Field chanting “Papi! Papi!” the World Series MVP then gave Boston the lead with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Ian Thomas (1-2) in the seventh.
Following pregame declarations of confidence from manager John Farrell and general manager Ben Cherington, the Red Sox came back to end their worst skid since an 11-game slide in 1994.
YANKEES 6, CARDINALS 4, 12 INNINGS
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Brian Roberts hit a tiebreaking single in a three-run 12th inning after Brett Gardner’s leaping catch at the left-field fence kept New York alive in the 11th.
Pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano and Brendan Ryan each added an RBI for the Yankees, who took the opener of a three-game interleague series for their third straight win. Alfredo Aceves (1-2) worked two scoreless innings and David Robertson earned his 11th save in 12 chances.
Jon Jay had an RBI double in the 12th for the Cardinals, who lost for the third time in 12 games.
A standing-room crowd of 47,311, the third-largest at 9-year-old Busch Stadium, showed up to see an opponent making only its second appearance in St. Louis since losing to the Cardinals in the 1964 World Series.
Cardinals pitchers retired 20 of 21 batters before the 12th, when Randy Choate (0-2) faced five batters and four reached safely.
CUBS 8, GIANTS 4
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jeff Samardzija struck out a season-high 10 for his first win since last August, snapping a 16-start winless streak for Chicago.
Samardzija (1-4) allowed six hits and walked none in seven-plus innings. He also had an RBI double during a three-run fourth.
The right-hander entered with six no-decisions in his first 10 outings this year despite leading the majors with a 1.46 ERA.
Nate Schierholtz hit his first home run of the season, and Darwin Barney drove in two runs to help the Cubs come back from a 3-1 deficit.
Pablo Sandoval homered and drove in three runs for the Giants, who had won four in a row.
Yusmeiro Petit (3-2) gave up four runs and six hits in five innings while filling in for injured starter Matt Cain.
PIRATES 5, METS 3
NEW YORK (AP) — Gaby Sanchez tagged the Mets again, hitting a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and a pinch-hit homer in the eighth that sparked Pittsburgh’s come-from-behind victory.
The Mets announced after the game that they had fired hitting coach Dave Hudgens. They also cut reliever Jose Valverde, who gave up Sanchez’s go-ahead hit.
Sanchez upped his average against the Mets to .324 and has 34 RBIs against New York, his best totals against any NL team. He homered off Scott Rice while hitting for Ike Davis, who was making his return to Citi Field after being traded to the Pirates in mid-April.
Valverde (1-1) was booed off the field after allowing pinch-hitter Jose Tabata’s tying single in the eighth. Valverde returned for the ninth and was even worse.
Tony Watson (5-0) pitched an inning for the win. Mark Melancon got his 10th save.
MARLINS 3, NATIONALS 2
WASHINGTON (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit his NL-leading 15th home run and also doubled and singled in his latest power performance for Miami at Nationals Park.
Stanton doubled and scored in the first inning, then launched a long two-run homer in the third.
Stanton is hitting .333 (43 for 129) with 14 home runs and 27 RBIs in Washington since his career began in 2010. He has homered at Nationals Park more than any other visiting player during that time.
The Marlins improved to 7-17 on the road; they’re 20-8 at home.
Nathan Eovaldi (4-2) pitched 6 1-3 innings, giving up two runs and three hits. Steve Cishek worked the ninth for his 11th save.
Adam LaRoche homered for the Nationals, who had won 12 of their last 13 against Miami at home. Tanner Roark (3-3) went seven innings.
PHILLIES 9, ROCKIES 0
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ryan Howard had five RBIs and Kyle Kendrick pitched into the seventh inning to snap his 10-game losing streak for Philadelphia.
A day after Dodgers right-hander Josh Beckett threw a no-hitter against the Phillies, leadoff man Ben Revere started with a single for the first of Philadelphia’s 12 hits.
Kendrick (1-5) allowed six hits over 6 2-3 innings to earn his first win since last Aug. 6, a span of 16 winless starts. His best performance in a while came against the top offense in the majors. The Rockies are first in runs (262) and batting average (.291).
Jhoulys Chacin (0-4) gave up four runs and seven hits in five-plus innings. He has lost five straight decisions dating to last season.
ORIOLES 7, BREWERS 6, 10 INNINGS
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jonathan Schoop hit two home runs and newly acquired Nick Hundley singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to lift Baltimore to victory in the interleague contest.
Down 6-4 with two outs in the ninth, the Orioles rallied off Milwaukee closer Francisco Rodriguez. Schoop’s second homer cut it to one. After pinch-hitter Delmon Young singled, Nick Markakis hit a game-tying double.
With two outs in the 10th, J.J. Hardy doubled off Rob Wooten (1-2) and scored on Hundley’s single.
Darren O’Day (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to get the win. Zach Britton pitched out of trouble in the 10th, to record his third save in three opportunities.
